


Tiger of the Pride

by westb0und



Category: Thundercats (2011)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Angst, Brotherly Love, Drama, F/M, Family, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Torture, Large Cast, Politics, Pre-Season/Series 01, Pre-Series, Romance, Violence, War, attempted genocide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-11-08 12:59:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11082087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westb0und/pseuds/westb0und
Summary: Pre-series AU. Tygra always thought he was the last tiger...until the tiger clan reappears in Thundera. The tigers' sudden reemergence out of myth and history throws Tygra into a world of politics and war and escalating bloodshed, ultimately culminating in an unavoidable choice: is he a prince of Thundera, or is he a tiger? [Tygra/Cheetara] [Lion-O/Kit] [Brief Tygra/OFC]





	1. Part One:  Twenty Years Later

**Author's Note:**

> This is unedited and unbeta'd at the moment; expect some mistakes and general awkwardness until I can get it to my editor, and a major revision after that. In the meantime, special thanks to the many people who critiqued this on Scribophile. You guys rock. (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
> 
> This fic takes place shortly after Grune and Panthro return from their search for the Book of Omens, with one major difference: they did not find Mumm-Ra. There will be mature (but not explicit) love scenes in future chapters, which will be toned down for the FFN posting to keep the story at a T rating there. So if you want the uncensored version, read this on AO3; if you prefer plot without porn, hit up FFN. :) The story begins with a lot of politics and family feels, then whiplashes into battles and torture and so forth, then whiplashes into romance and drama, then whiplashes back to war and a lesson in Good Is Not Necessarily Nice. I apologize if I give you whiplash. XD Also, Kit and Kat have been aged up to fifteen years old for this. Be prepared for a ridiculously long story before editing, and a somewhat ridiculously long story after editing.
> 
> Finally, if I failed to tag anything that triggers or squicks you, I sincerely apologize! Please let me know so I can make sure not to do it to anyone else.

\- - - -

**Part One**

He turned the ring of silver over and over in one hand, playing with it idly while he pored over another ancient scroll. After a moment, Tygra sighed, aggravated, and pushed the scroll away in favor of flipping open an old book. The yellowed pages cracked apart to a page already marked with a faded blue ribbon. His leg bounced; the masculine bracelet continued to turn in his free hand, catching the light of the sunset filtering through the window and reflecting it across the pages, over and over and over.

This was something like a ritual. Ever since he'd realized he was adopted, on the anniversary of the day he'd arrived in Thundera as a baby — the date Thundera now celebrated as his birthday — Tygra would spend his time poring over the few ancient scrolls, documents, and books that had any information pertaining to tigers.

He'd grown up never quite belonging. He still felt like he didn't quite belong, and he was tired of being alone. All his life, people would whisper, "the last tiger" when they thought he couldn't hear them. He'd lived a full two decades now, and he still didn't know where he came from, or even when his real birthday was. Every year, without fail, he went over everything the royal library had to offer on tigers, just in case he'd missed something.

 _After twenty years_ , he thought, sighing and closing the last book, _it may be time to admit I couldn't have missed anything_. He looked at the bracelet, the only thing found in his baby basket apart from himself and a piece of paper with his name on it. _I know they're out there somewhere. Who are they? Why did they send me away?_

He had been told of the grand search his adoptive father had launched after Tygra's arrival in Thundera — they'd searched longer and farther than they'd ever explored before, and nobody found anything. Not even rumors. There were no others tigers in the land. The king had been forced to call off the search because he needed the manpower for the lizard wars, but Tygra knew his father hadn't given up on the thought that there were other tigers out there, somewhere. Claudus went so far as to think there was at least a small community of them. And for the longest time, Tygra hadn't given up on the thought, either. But even Panthro and Grune, who had returned less than a fortnight ago, had found nothing; and now he wondered just how much of a fool's dream it really was. Somebody would have heard something by now if other tigers existed. _Wouldn't they?_

The bracelet held its own little mystery. There were markings on it in the language of the ancestors, so it was at least as old as the founding of Thundera — before the entire tiger clan had been exiled to disappear into myth and history. Why had this one thing been placed in Tygra's basket when he was sent to Thundera? What was so special about it? Tygra gazed at it listlessly for a few minutes, then pushed it onto his wrist. It was a perfect fit for him now, an indication that it was made for an adult man rather than a cub or a woman.  Like it was maybe made for _him._

As far as Tygra knew, his native people had been wiped out by war or disease decades ago. Perhaps his biological parents — whomever they were, wherever they were — had been the last tigers before him. Maybe he really was the last of his kind.

Tygra sighed again and pushed himself to his feet. It was time for the party. He tried to shuffle his heritage to the back of his mind as he strode toward the door. This was his celebration — he intended to enjoy it.

 

* * *

 

Tygra had a lot of friends and was well-liked by Thundera at large, so the celebration of the anniversary of his arrival had always been a very fun, public affair.

Throughout the night, it gradually became easier for Tygra to put the mystery of his origins aside as he mingled with the people who loved him. He loved Thundera and her denizens, and he appreciated being a Thunderian prince. Unlike his younger brother, Tygra thoroughly enjoyed interacting with his peers and charming his people.

During the lull where people began drifting toward tables laden with food, Tygra was briefly alone. He was standing in the darkness, silent, when a voice spoke directly into his ear, startling him. "You seem quiet tonight."

Tygra grinned reflexively and turned. "Cheetara," he said, greeting the young woman standing behind him. She wore a cleric's uniform, open in the front so that her shirt provided an inviting flash of cleavage. Cheetara had always been the one person who could tempt a smile out of Tygra even when he was mired in his darkest thoughts; she had been since they'd met as cubs. She was his closest friend, even though her cleric duties often took her out of his sight for weeks at a time.

"How are you doing?" She asked, putting a soft hand on his arm. Her voice was low, private — spoken just for him.

He caught her fingers before she could resist and kissed them. "Wonderful, now that you're here."

"I've been watching you—" (Tygra's heart skipped a beat) "—and you've been anything but wonderful all night. What's wrong?  It's your birthday.  You should be celebrating."

 _It's unlikely this is my_ real _birthday._ Tygra bit his lip briefly and cast his gaze aside.

Cheetara's expression became sympathetic, as if he'd spoken aloud.  She stepped forward, her fingers still in his.  "Try to have fun," she said, and pressed a warm kiss to his cheek.

Heat blossomed in Tygra's chest. He knew he was grinning like an idiot, but he couldn't stop himself. "Are… you busy tonight?"

"I'm afraid so," Cheetara said, her eyes catching on and following something over Tygra's shoulder. "In fact, duty calls. See you later." She gifted him one last smile before disappearing into the crowd.

Tygra stared after her wistfully, silently willing her to turn back around, but enjoying the view regardless. He rarely saw her these days — ever since she'd been officially inducted into the clericy, she'd been almost entirely absent from his life. But when they did meet, he could almost be certain that she had feelings for him, too. They'd been friends almost from the day they'd met — they'd always been close. Tygra didn't regret that, but he did wish they could be a little closer.

Tygra made his way to the king's table, where he was met by his father and brother, as well as Grune and Panthro. Conversation flowed easily over food, and Tygra enjoyed hearing about Grune's and Panthro's adventures. They were debating having once seen a rare snow leopard once when they were in the far northern wilds; Panthro had no doubt what he'd seen, but Grune was equally certain Panthro had been getting into the wild catnip growing in the area.

"The snow leopards died out centuries ago," Grune said amiably, citing the most commonly believed opinion on the matter.

"I know what I saw, you ass," Panthro retorted.

"No Thunderian has seen a snow leopard since the entire blasted clan lost their minds and took themselves out of Thundera, just after—" he stopped.

 _Just after the tiger clan was exiled_ , Tygra finished. He lifted his head. "Just because we haven't heard from them doesn't mean they don't exist somewhere," he said.

"Pah," Grune said, and applied himself to his food.

"What of the lizards?" The king asked. "You didn't mention them in your report, but we know there have been lizard movements in the northern wilds."

"We saw no signs of lizards, Claudus," Panthro said. "I've heard the rumors, and we kept our eyes open, but if Slithe _is_ branching into the north, he's being very quiet about it."

"That is what concerns me," Claudus said.

"My Lord," Grune said, "what would the lizards have to do in the far north? They can't stand cold climates, certainly couldn't fight in one. I think the rumors are just that: rumors."

Panthro reached for a loaf of bread.  "If there is a sizable group of cats in the north," he said, "they're also keeping their heads down. But I find it hard to believe there are both lizards and cats in the same area — we would have heard reports of fighting by now."

"You think cats and lizards can't coexist peacefully," Lion-O said, speaking up for the first time.

"Of course they can't," Tygra shot him down with a narrow glare. "Slithe would never allow it."

Lion-O scowled back. "I don't think that's true."

"I think it's possible there are still snow leopards surviving today," Tygra continued, ignoring Lion-O and turning back to the table. "Thundera never kept tabs on the snow leopards. It's our own fault we don't know where they are or what they're doing. But as for the snow leopards and lizards coexisting in the same area, well," he shrugged. "I grant the evidence is hard to dismiss, but I find the rumors as unlikely to be true. I can't see any cat lowering himself to work with lizards. And there's the question of what the lizards could be doing so far north. It's nothing but deep snow, vast wasteland, and treacherous mountain ranges up there. What would Slithe be doing if he _were_ branching north?"

"I believe he is up to something," Claudus said, pressing his fingertips together.  His mouth formed a deep frown.

Panthro narrowed his eyes at his plate.  "That is clear enough."

There was a brief, uneasy silence.

"Enough of this talk," Grune clapped a friendly hand on Tygra's shoulder. "We're here to celebrate one of our princes, aren't we? And the other just come of age a few weeks ago. You must be very proud, Claudus."

The king cast a fond eye over his sons, who both looked back hoping for approval. "I would be more pleased if they would marry."

Tygra knew this was not really directed at him. Ever since Lion-O had come of age, the king had been putting subtle (and not so subtle) pressure on him to choose a wife. Lion-O, true to his nature, promptly stuck his heels into the ground and had refused to budge on the subject from the start. Even now, his face darkened.

"I'm working on it," Tygra said lightly, smirking faintly across the table at Lion-O. "How about you, Little Brother?"

"Shut up," Lion-O said.

"You know you'll have to marry eventually."

"Shut _up_."

"You need an heir, Lion-O."

"I have you for an heir."

Tygra felt the sting of that statement exactly as Lion-O had intended. He bared his teeth.

Fortunately, the topic of conversation shifted again soon after that. However, the damage had been done; Tygra remained sour and quiet for the remainder of the celebration.

He retired to sleep for what remained of the night almost three hours after midnight.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, five cloaked and cowled cats made their way down the dusty path that led to Thundera's western gates. The lead figure, by all appearances a young man, lifted his face and drew to a slow halt. His little group was still an hour or so away from the city, but already he felt dwarfed by the expansiveness of Thundera's fabled gates. According to rumor and fact alike, those gates had withstood countless foes for thousands of years. Their size did what countless nights of worry and resignation had not: for the first time since beginning his journey, the young cat felt a thread of genuine apprehension run down his spine. "There it is," he said simply.

"Thundera," another figure, a female, stated. "At last."

"Are you ready, Jahzara?" a third, much older cat placed a gentle hand on the lead cat's shoulder. "There will be no returning to life as it once was if we enter those gates. If we are going to turn back, for good or ill, now is the time to do so."

The lead figure, Jahzara, turned to the elder, angled slightly against the sun. "Gods help me," he said with a soft, humorless laugh. "I don't know if I will succeed. But," he sighed and turned back to the city. "I am no coward. I have to try."

"There is no choice but to continue," the female said calmly. "Orias has crossed one line too many. We must forge ahead, come what may. You are doing the right thing."

Jahzara said nothing for a minute, then began walking again. His followers fell into a semi-circle behind him as their journey recommenced. "I hope I am," Jahzara said softly. He closed his eyes for a moment, blocking out the view of Thundera and replacing it with an image of home. "I hope my father knows what he is doing by sending us here."

The remainder of the journey was made in silence. When the little group finally reached the great gates — and they were much larger than Jahzara ever imagined they'd be; he'd never seen such magnificence all his life — they were stopped by a pair of guardsmen wearing the blue armor of Thundera. Both soldiers stood easily in the foreign cats' path, and while they were clearly suspicious, they did not seem overly interested in their visitors. "State your clan and business in Thundera," one guardsman said, almost sounding bored.

Jahzara supposed he asked the same thing of travelers all day. After a brief pause, Jahzara pulled his hood back and stepped forward. "I am Jahzara, heir to the tiger clan," he announced. "And I have come on a mission of peace on behalf of my father. Where may I find King Claudus, the Lord of the Thundercats?"

The rest of Jahzara's entourage looked up or pushed their hoods back so their striped faces were clearly visible — there were five adult tigers altogether.

The guardsmen both stared at Jahzara open-mouthed. After a beat, one of them snapped his jaw shut and said, "wait here." Then he turned and took off at a run.

The tigers had returned to Thundera.

 


	2. Jahzara of the Tiger Clan

"There are cats working with the lizards in the far north and west.  Snow leopards."  Lynx-O tapped one finger on the table, his sightless eyes surveying the people around him.

The council chamber was a small, comfortable room, the perfect fit for a meeting between a king and his advisors.  Apart from the king, the room was occupied by Jaga, Tygra, and the generals, all of them mulling over the Thunderian spies' latest information.

"Nonsense," Grune said.  "No cat would betray the species — and the snow leopards died out centuries ago."

"There is no doubt they are snow leopards.  The question is why this lost clan is working with the lizard army," Lynx-O said.  "And what are the lizards doing so far north?"

"And no sure figure on the snow leopards," Tygra mused.  "How many are they?"

The lizard army's numbers were well known to the Thunderians, but the snow leopards had proven difficult to count — at least a couple thousand, maybe more; the pride's spies could never get close enough to be sure, although they did suspect the snow leopards were based in a treacherous mountain range even farther north, in territory previously thought to be totally inhospitable to life.  It was an area beyond Thundera's control, and well beyond where the Thunderians had explored.  Unfortunately, that meant the pride was blind in many areas surrounding the curious alliance of cat and lizard.  Their spies were working hard to overcome this weakness, but it was clear that the failure to expand into the great northern wilds was a mistake the Thunderians might well live to regret.

"Alright, alright," Grune sighed.  "Why not send Tygra to look into it?"

The council fell into a brief silence, considering this proposal.  Reconnaissance was a task Tygra was intimately acquainted with.  As the only cat in Thundera who could use his whip to turn invisible, he had done the lion's share of scouting, spying, and leading coups de main since he'd been fifteen.  He was the usual pick for missions like this.

His fists tightened and he looked at his father.  "That's a good idea.  I'll be able to get closer than any of the other spies will, and one man will work faster than many."

"Alas," Lynx-O said firmly, "it's too far and too dangerous.  We can't risk our only whip-wielding cat so far from home."

"You have questions about this alleged alliance of cats and lizards, don't you?" Grune replied, sounding almost bored.  "Only Tygra can get the answers."

"Lynx-O is right," Panthro said.  "Tygra, you're too valuable to lose, especially on something that may not be a threat."

"'The friend of thy enemy is also thy enemy,'" Tygra argued.  "It's not a question of whether or not the snow leopards are a threat; I'm sure they are.  The lizards wouldn't be working with them otherwise.  Slithe is a practical man."  He finally turned to the king.  "Father, let me go.  I'll find out everything we need to know and more.  You know I can do it."

The king made brief eye contact with his son, but was also listening to a cleric messenger murmuring in his ear.

Tygra and the council fell respectfully silent until the cleric presented Claudus with a medium-sized, ornate wooden box, which Claudus opened to reveal a dazzling array of jewels and precious metals.

"Well, well," Grune murmured, equally as intrigued as the rest of the council.  "Where did that come from?"

Claudus stirred the treasure briefly as if to gauge whether or not the box really was as deep as it looked (it was), then closed the box expressionlessly and sent the messenger with it to the treasury.  Then he turned back to his council.  "A company of tigers has arrived and claim to be seeking an alliance with the pride on behalf of the tiger clan," he stated calmly.  "Those treasures were an offering meant to illustrate their good intentions."

"Tigers?" More than one voice echoed.

"Nonsense, it's a trick," Grune said, and then added in a lower tone, "first snow leopards, and now tigers."  He raised his voice again.  "The tiger clan died out centuries ago."

"Right.  And so did the snow leopards," Panthro said dryly.

"We searched for the tigers for years after Tygra was found; have you forgotten?  They don't exist," Grune shot back.

"Nevertheless, it would seem they are here," Lynx-O said.  "But whatever you choose to do about it, Your Majesty, I would counsel caution.  Pretty baubles do not a friend make."

Claudus's eyes turned meditatively to Tygra.  "I will meet with them," he decided.  "You will all accompany me."

There was nothing more to be said after that.  The council took their places behind their king and followed him out of the meeting chamber in silence.

Tygra didn't make eye contact with anyone.  His blood was roaring in his ears.  _Tigers._

# # #

The king and his entourage entered the minor throne room from a side door, nearest the throne.  It was dimly lit by the windows above, and Tygra could just make out the shape of a cleric crouching on one of the balconies flanking the room.

Five adults in heavy cloaks were standing in a loose group near the foot of the short stair preceding the throne.  Their hoods were all pulled back, and the patterns of their stripes were unmistakable.  Tigers.  Tygra scrutinized them as the king took his place on the throne and his advisors gathered either side of him on the throne dais.  Most noticeable were the tigers' fur colors — striking and vibrant in hues ranging from red to yellow, vivid enough that Tygra knew he himself paled — literally — in comparison.  Their cloaks closed in the front, but what little Tygra could glean of their dress was foreign and intriguing — and they were all carrying whips with red stones on the ends, just like Tygra's own ancient weapon.

One tiger stood ahead of the others, apparently their leader.  He was a delicate young man of perhaps eighteen or nineteen years, very tall and slender, with long hair pulled back into a high ponytail.  He stood with the easy confidence of royalty.  The other tigers — four of them — were gathered behind the lead tiger in a loose semi-circle.  At the lead tiger's right hand was the eldest tiger in the group, a wizened old man with fur more blond than orange.  At his left was a man in his thirties standing perhaps a head taller than Tygra, expression cool and distant.  Behind stood the only female in the group, a white tiger with pale eyes; and next to her was another young man with the look of a hunter, perhaps ten years older than his leader.  They all appeared to be faintly tense — not nervous, but wary.  Tygra struggled not to stare open-mouthed; none of the other tigers looked in his direction.  Even so, he felt as if every eye in the room were on him.

Claudus spoke, not in the least ruffled by the tigers' abrupt appearance out of myth and legend.  "Welcome, Prince Jahzara of the tiger clan.  I am Claudus, Lord of the Thundercats.  I have received your gift and accept it with great appreciation."  He paused long enough to steeple his fingers across his lap.  "I am told you seek to make an alliance with the pride.  What reasons do you have that suggest such an alliance would be beneficial?"

Jahzara's voice was strong, but hadn't broken yet.  He had a foreign, lilting accent that spoke of far-off lands untouched by Thunderian civilization.  "Yes.  My father, Javan, chieftain of the tiger clan, has decided to seek a military alliance with the pride in an effort to defeat a mutual enemy.  You are familiar with the lizard army, of course?"

"The lizards have been an enemy to Thundera since time immemorial,” Claudus confirmed.

"They have recently become an enemy to the tiger clan as well," Jahzara stated.  "Although we maintain a capable military, the lizards outnumber us ten to one.  Our skirmishes often end in heavy casualties.  My father would seek to confront the lizard army with Thundera at his side in an effort to prevent needless bloodshed.  We can destroy the lizard army together, and eliminate them as a threat to every cat once and for all.  Our warriors are experienced fighters, and we alone master the illusion of invisibility on the battlefield; and we know Thunderian warriors to be triumphant in all they do. My father believes this would be a most advantageous alliance from both of our perspectives."

Claudus considered this proposal for a moment.  "And what is the full muster of the tiger army?"

"It varies from season to season," Jahzara answered without pause, indicating a surprising — and suspicious — willingness to be transparent.

_Out of desperation, perhaps?_   Tygra thought, frowning, and briefly turned over other possible reasons in his mind.

Jahzara continued, "Generally, we can guarantee two thousand warriors at any given time.  In the winter this number often climbs to two thousand five hundred or so."

"That is very small for a military," Claudus said.  "I am surprised the lizards haven't overrun you simply by force of numbers."

"We have many advantages, My Lord," Jahzara said, riding on the tail end of Claudus's words and narrowly avoiding an interruption.  "We have the ability to become invisible for the duration of a fight, and often remain so before and after; this never fails to turn the tide in battle unequivocally in our favor.  We do not often lose."

Tygra sensed more than saw his father become alert.  There was a faint edge to Claudus's voice when he spoke.  "All of your tiger warriors can become invisible?  For the entire duration of a battle?  How?"

Tygra was equally alert.  He, himself, could only hold the illusion for short periods of time, and couldn't do complex tasks while invisible — he typically had to drop the illusion when delivering a strike to an enemy.

Jahzara reached into his cloak and slipped a whip off his hip.  He let a few loops fall loose and held out the length of the tails and stones for Claudus and his council to see.  "The stones at the ends of our whips were blessed by Third Earth itself at the dawn of time, and any tiger born with innate magical ability can use that ability in conjunction with the stones to create an allusion of invisibility.  All of our warriors can use magic — it is a requirement for joining the military.  The length of time spent within the illusion is a result of training."

"I see," Claudus said, neglecting to mention his foreknowledge of the whips.  There followed a brief pause while the king considered.  When he spoke again, it was to change the topic slightly.  "And why have the lizards become an enemy to the tiger clan?  Slithe generally doesn't make enemies where there are none.  What is the origin of your conflict?"

Jahzara frowned and looked aside for a moment as if gathering his thoughts.  When he looked back up at the king, Jahzara's expression was hard.  "The snow leopards," he bit out at last.

Every Thunderian in the room seemed to lean forward, although none moved.  Tygra knew they, like him, were working out what, exactly, the lizards were doing in the north; now they knew.  "They have been an enemy to the tiger clan for generations.  Not twenty years ago, a disease swept through the mountain range we both make our homes in and decimated the snow leopards' numbers to the point where the tigers have gained the advantage in the conflict.  My father believes Orias, the king of the snow leopards, has allied himself with the lizards in an act of desperation.  Orias hates all tigers on principle, and seeks to destroy our kind utterly; he attempts to do so by any means possible."  Jahzara paused briefly.  "Of course, it is unlikely the snow leopards entered into such an alliance without promising something in return — and the lizards are well known to have only one enemy.  So you see that it benefits the both of us to ally ourselves."

"So it's not just lizards you want us to fight for you, but snow leopards as well, other cats," Grune observed coolly into the silence that followed Jahzara's explanations.

"We do not need Thundera — or anyone else — to fight our battles," Jahzara said curtly before Grune could say another word.  "We can defend ourselves, and have been doing so against both snow leopards and lizards for seasons.  We are only proposing an alliance in an attempt at removing the lizard threat forever."

Grune chose to point out the obvious in a subtle stab at sarcasm.  "But seeing as the lizards have allied themselves with the snow leopard clan, it would be inevitable that Thunderians would meet snow leopards in battle."  He glanced back at Claudus, who was observing the exchange expressionlessly.  "My Lord, I do not know if it would be wise to go to war with another cat clan.  Thunderians are honorable and wise, and we do not betray our own kind."

"Even one that has betrayed their own species and formed an alliance with your greatest enemy?" Jahzara looked back to Claudus with narrowed eyes.  "The snow leopards are poor excuses for cats, Sire.  They fight without honor, and torture their prisoners for the pleasure of causing pain.  They are consumed with an unholy desire to commit genocide against another cat clan, one that did nothing to deserve their ire.  Generations of tiger chieftains have attempted to make peace with the ounces, to no avail; their only wish is for mindless slaughter.  If there is a traitor to the species among any of us, it is found in the snow leopard clan.  And Thundera can be sure she will face them eventually, with or without the tiger clan at her side — Orias has pledged himself to the lizards and he could not have done so without promising aid against Thundera in return."

"If the tiger clan has done so well defending itself for so long," Grune says harshly, switching tactics, "why seek the aid of Thundera now?  What changed?"

"We only seek to put a decisive end to needless bloodshed," Jahzara said, baring more of his teeth with every word.  "An alliance with Thundera was decided to be the most effective method for doing so."

Tygra glanced sideways at Grune, who clearly knew he was getting under the young prince's fur.  Grune smirked and baited Jahzara further when Claudus did not take the opportunity to put an end to the exchange.  "You failed to answer my question, Prince Jahzara.  Why seek Thundera's aid now?  Why not when the lizards first attacked, or even before then, when you realized you could not defeat the snow leopard clan?"

Jahzara's fur rose on his neck, but he made a small, sudden movement backward, as if catching and forcing himself to calm down.  He answered in a even tone.  "The tigers will triumph over the snow leopards eventually, you can be sure of that.  We are not here to beg for help.  We are offering an alliance, nothing more nor less.  How long has Thundera been fighting the lizard army without destroying it?  Are not you weary of the endless bloodshed, year after year?  We are offering you the opportunity to put a stop to it once and for all."

"With only two thousand warriors?  No, less than that, because you will doubtlessly only spare the bare minimum to aid your ally."  Grune made a short, dismissive sound.  "What you have to offer Thundera in return is negligible at best.  It will take more than a handful of invisible soldiers to put an end to the lizard threat."

"A 'handful of invisible soldiers' has been keeping the lizard army _and_ the snow leopard clan at bay, and continues to do so as we speak.  We are a far more powerful clan than we first appear."

To Tygra's utter relief, Claudus decided to put an end to the exchange at this point.  "I have no doubt that is the case," he said calmly, "and I see the benefit in facing our mutual enemies together.  But General Grune is correct; the lizard army is the largest army on Third Earth, and the only army able to withstand Thundera's might.  Even were the tigers able to double our numbers, it would not be enough to put an end to the lizard threat forever.  An alliance may put a stop to the lizards' alliance in the north, but peace for Thundera the likes of which you describe will be unattainable for as long as Slithe and his progeny draw breath."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Jahzara said, "you are underestimating us."  He hesitated a beat, then added, "perhaps a demonstration would put your fears to rest?"

Tygra was once more hard-pressed not to turn to his father eagerly.  Thunderians were a society that favored prowess on the battlefield above all else, and Jahzara could, in theory, win the respect of the pride with a suitable military demonstration.  Tygra was eager to see his native people in action, but was wise enough not to call for it.  He finally broke down and glanced at the king's profile, along with everybody else in the room.

Claudus considered the proposal, and then said, almost gently, "I do not think that will be necessary."

Tygra had to make a conscious effort to keep his shoulders from falling; the tigers would not be allowed to prove themselves one way or the other.

Jahzara bowed his head slightly in acquiescence.  His lips thinned.

"However," Claudus continued, "although I do not think the tiger military has quite the capabilities of putting an end to the lizard threat forever, I must acknowledge that the snow leopard clan is a new enemy to Thundera, and there is wisdom in allying myself with a clan who knows so much about their strengths and weaknesses.  I am also interested in what else the tigers have to offer Thundera.  An alliance can be beneficial in more ways than simply rendering military aid."

Jahzara paused for a moment.  "Such as trade," he said.

"Trade is one aspect, yes.  Your gift, for example," Claudus suggested.

"Ah," said Jahzara.  He looked a touch bemused for a beat, then reclaimed his expression.  "We are a wealthy clan, Lord Claudus.  Our mountains were blessed by the gods when Third Earth was formed and the mines' bounty is plentiful.  Coal is our primary resource, but we are also standing upon mines filled with diamonds, and veins of silver and gold.  Amongst ourselves, we generally trade in gold coins — that is our currency — but there is so much of it that it is cumbersome, and our people prefer to barter with their wares directly."

That was promising.  Tygra sensed his father and the generals regarding the tigers with renewed interest.  Funding wars was expensive, and Thundera was always at war; they could definitely use an extra gold mine or two.

Jahzara seemed to hesitate a beat, then added, "and if Thunderians have a taste for adventure or conquering new lands, the tiger clan is guarding the only pass through the northern mountains.  Beyond, farther to the north, is the great sea, home to the tiger sharks, and in between are scattered many different tribes and city-states, some of them cats.  We alone are capable of navigating this pass, and my father would gladly do so for an ally as well."

"That is well," Claudus answered appreciatively, "the tiger clan has been blessed by the gods indeed, if such is the case."

Tygra tried to gauge his father's thoughts.  Conquering new lands was what Thundera did best, but more importantly, a small, wealthy nation was offering up use of their mines.  A measure of hope brought Tygra's heartbeat into his throat.  His native people would not be able to win an alliance with numbers and battle prowess, but they may be able to do it with treasure… if they have enough, and if they can prove it.  Tygra frowned; the thought of the clan he came from being harassed by the lizard army was infuriating; he crossed his arms to hide clenched fists.

Claudus began getting down to business, now that the tigers had something tangible that he wanted.  "The combined forces of the snow leopard clan and the lizard army, what do they number?"

"The stationed lizards vary with climate — they do poorly during the winter — but they generally number between two and three thousand.  And Orias never has less than five thousand warriors on the ground at any one time."

Claudus made a short, thoughtful noise.  Tygra almost did, too.  All of the Thunderians regarded the tigers in a new light.  If what Jahzara said was true, then a force of 2,000 tigers have been holding their own against a combined force of up to 8,000 enemies.  Tygra was cautiously impressed, and pleased for his native people's battle prowess.  But there was a point of contention in the numbers, which Tygra did not know if Jahzara was ignorant of or not.  Slithe generally put 12,000 boots on the field, so it was clear that he wasn't throwing much weight behind his alliance with the snow leopards.  But if he chose to, he could overrun the tigers by sheer force of numbers — Tygra hoped Javan was aware of this threat.  Claudus had just over 10,000 guardsmen at his command, making Thundera the only military power large enough to stand up to the lizards.  It was clear that the tigers desperately needed Thundera's aid.

The king made an optimistic — to Tygra's mind — show of considering strategy.  "What tack do your skirmishes with the lizards and snow leopards generally take?"

Tygra knew what his father was hoping to hear, and knew he wouldn't: fighting on open ground was Thundera's favorite type of battle, what they excelled at it most.  But Tygra couldn't see a force of 2,000 soldiers standing long against 8,000 without some kind of miracle strategy at work, even if the tigers fought invisibly; the opposing force was simply too large.  There wasn't likely to be a lot of open ground in the middle of a mountain range, anyway.

"There is no open ground per se in our mountains," Jahzara said, confirming Tygra's thoughts.  "Everything is steep hills and cliffs and ice during the winter.  There are a few valleys, but these are too narrow to warrant an open battle consisting of both sides' full muster.  Our fights are often either in the form of skirmishes and guerrilla warfare, or sometimes sieges during the summer months.  Battles are rarely fought by more than a couple dozen warriors on either side at any one time."

_Which explains how so few tigers have been able to withstand such numbers_ , Tygra thought _._   If the tigers had the high ground as well — which Tygra suspected they did — the tigers might very well be able to hold off their enemies for years to come.  Not forever, but certainly a good long while.

"I see."  Claudus sat back in the throne, considering.

Tygra held his breath, struggling to maintain his stoic expression.

At last, Claudus made his decision.  "Very well, Prince Jahzara, I will consent to consider your father's proposal.  We will enter into a preliminary dialogue tomorrow for the purpose of determining the true efficacy of a possible treaty.  For now, you must be tired from your journey; I invite you to remain in my household.  My steward will see to your accommodations."

Jahzara bowed.  "You are too kind, Your Majesty.  Until tomorrow."

After the tigers had followed a pair of guardsmen out of the great doors, Claudus addressed all present council members.  "As yet, I am uneasy about an alliance with these tigers.  But if, after a satisfactory dialogue, the tigers truly can offer what they say they can, then I think we will find an alliance to be beneficial to the empire."  He then fell silent, giving his council permission to share their input.

Panthro spoke first.  "Two thousand soldiers who can become invisible on the battlefield would sway the outcome of any battle and decide every skirmish.  Better yet, they'll make very effective scouts and spies, especially if our Tygra is anything to go by.  Weren't we just bemoaning the fact that he's the only one who can work the invisibility illusion?  My Lord, I believe that, from a military standpoint, we absolutely want those invisible warriors if we can get them.  And it never hurts to have more friends than enemies — especially wealthy friends who occupy a key location as regards the snow leopard threat.  On that subject, it's clear the tigers have a vast wealth of knowledge on the snow leopard clan — we all know we need that knowledge if we're going to meet the combined snow leopard-lizard threat without unacceptable losses.  If we can't negotiate a military alliance," he summarized, "we should at least find some way to trade for that information."

Grune's argument was summed up by:  "I don't like the thought of going to war with other cats, My Lord.  We don't know that the snow leopard clan  has entered into an alliance with Slithe with the intent of attacking Thundera in the future.  Why would they?  Our numbers are no secret to anyone who cares to count, and we outnumber them two to one — and that's only if they fight on their homeland.  There is no need to preemptively declare war on them.  I suspect the snow leopards only wanted help with defeating their enemy, and cleverly found a way to do so by allying themselves with the largest army on Third Earth.  The tigers are here only to seek the same.  They aren't here with a grand plan for defeating a mutual enemy — they are here because this is their _only_ plan.  It's obvious they want us to beat down the snow leopards for them.  I would like to remind the council that in ancient times the tigers were an enemy to Thundera — weren't they forcibly exiled from the city shortly after it was founded? — and therefore should not be easily trusted.  Finally, how can we be sure this Jahzara is who he says he is?  I would think a crown prince's entourage would consist of more than four warriors, if the other tigers _are_ warriors.  Ultimately, I say there is no call for Thundera to get involved in this conflict; we have enough trouble with the lizard army always on our doorstep as it is.  The timing of the tigers' offer is suspicious enough, but even if they had honest intentions, they offer too little in return to make the sacrifices worth an alliance."

Lynx-O took a more pragmatic approach to the conundrum.  "Both the tigers and the snow leopards should be brought under Thundera's rule," he said flatly, arms crossed over his armor.  "Are they no cats?  Is not the Lord of the Thundercats lord over _all_ cats?  This Javan and Orias may be allowed to keep their positions, perhaps, but only as long as they bring their people into the Thunderian empire, where they belong.  And if they do not cooperate, then, like any belligerent governor, they should be deposed and their peoples forcibly annexed as necessary.  They are clearly small clans, and it would be a shame to see either die out in a senseless war.  There are so few tigers and snow leopards left, and I, for one, would like to see these clans prosper and thrive as Thunderians, which is as it should be."

Jaga's counsel was wise, but sparse.  "I believe Jahzara was being honest in all that he said, and he offered a great wealth of information up for the opportunity of negotiating an alliance, all in good faith. While it is clear to me that the tigers are far more desperate than they are willing to let on, it is equally clear that they are not helpless, and would make formidable allies in any battle — and I, for one, am indeed very weary of the endless bloodshed brought about by the lizard wars. Perhaps such an ally is exactly what Thundera needs to achieve peace at last."

"You aren't proposing what the fool cub tried to sway us with, are you?" Grune said incredulously.  "No matter how you cut it, an additional two thousand soldiers will not make a difference in our struggle with the lizards."

Jaga's voice was pleasant and sedate.  " _That_ remains to be seen."

Tygra felt some tension ease in his shoulders.  Jaga's vote of confidence would go a long way to swaying his father's opinion of the tigers.

Tygra tried not to sound hesitant when he spoke, knowing he would come across as biased.  "General Grune has a point in that we do not know if Jahzara is who he says he is, or that what he says is true, and some form of proof should be rendered before anything is decided with any finality. That said, I also agree with General Panthro that two thousand warriors who can maintain the illusion of invisibility for the duration of a battle is… tempting, both in a fight or as spies. But what we are really in need of — and which the tigers seem to have in spades — is funding for the lizard wars. Trade would also benefit Thundera’s economy, if the tigers are as wealthy as they say they are. I think it’s worth entering into negotiations for that alone; anything else that can be gleaned from the relationship would be to our benefit as well — they aren’t asking for the full might of Thundera’s military, after all, and we may be able to fulfill our side of the bargain with only a handful of guardsmen stationed in the mountains, although the preliminary negotiations will tell if this is really the case or not. But from what we know so far, this sounds like a potentially very fulfilling agreement to me."

Claudus gave him an approving look before addressing the council.  "Tomorrow, I want all of you to be present for the preliminary dialogue with the tigers.  Lion-O also; Tygra, inform him."

"Yes, Father," Tygra said obediently, hiding a grimace.  _Lion-O_?  Even _if_ he deigned to show up, he'd only be dead weight — Lion-O lacked experience in matters of international relations, and this was too important to give Lion-O the potential to screw it up.  _Why Lion-O?_   It was ridiculous.

"Very well."  Claudus stood.  "I think this meeting can be adjourned for now.  You may all return to your duties."

The council members bowed as the king began striding out of the room.

Tygra followed him, not wanting to be alone with the generals just yet.  Besides, he had an order to convey.

# # #

The tigers followed the royal steward down a long hallway.  As they walked, Bali touched Jahzara's hand with his own and said softly, in the tiger language, "well done, Jahzara."

"It isn't over yet," Jahzara said, shooting the old tiger a thin, humorless smile.  Now that the adrenalin was beginning to wear off, the young tiger was beginning to feel drained of all emotion.

Each tiger was given his own room at the end of the hallway, which came to a dead end with a tall window.  Two Thunderian guardsmen remained at the entrance to the hallway with their backs to the tigers, just out of sight around the corners of the walls.

The tigers gathered in the room allotted to Jahzara because it was the biggest, where they continued speaking quietly in their native language.

Jahzara looked up at Corbett as he closed the door softly and leaned against it, arms crossed.  They exchanged glances only -- the closest they could get to intimacy in this dangerous place; Jahzara looked away and addressed the other tigers.  "Well.  We seem to be in a promising position for an alliance after all."

Latika snorted.  "I was afraid it wouldn't happen for a while back there.  I'm still not certain this Claudus won't have us thrown out of the city or imprisoned."  Latika was a firm believer in the common rumor that Thunderians were all barbarians, concerning themselves with violence above all else.

"Nonsense," Bengala said with an expression that suggested she wanted very much to roll her eyes.  "We're making history here.  Lord Claudus knows this as well as we do.  The tiger clan and Thundera, allied together after the ancient conflict that has kept us apart for thousands of years.  Are you honored to be the tiger 'prince' who achieves what our ancestors thought to be impossible, Jahzara?"

"There is no alliance yet," Jahzara said, returning Bengala's smile.  "But I am honored to be given such careful consideration by the king of such a vast empire.  I feel minuscule in his presence.  He is so much bigger than us — the ruler of a great city-state, deigning to negotiate with a village nation.  I fear we have too little to offer Thundera in return for their support."

"We have more than they're willing to acknowledge," Latika said coolly, his pride still stinging from parts of the exchange in the throne room.  "I gather they think one hundred score warriors mean nothing — even knowing the numbers we have triumphed against!  Yet when you mentioned gold, they all came alive.  Everything is numbers to these Thunderians.  They suffer from the fallacy that bigger is always better.  I am not as impressed by them as I thought I would be."

"They deal in numbers because they have numbers to deal with," Bali said sedately.  "One cannot blame them for passing judgment based on numbers with such substantial differences.  But I think this Lord Claudus is wiser than you infer, Latika, and he will come to see the great multitude of benefits that would come from allying himself with the tiger clan."

"I hope," said Bengala, "that I am not being petty by hoping we can buy the Thunderians' loyalty.  It will be an easy negotiation indeed if such is the case.  It's such a shame we were unable to observe the Thunderians longer before Lord Javan was forced to send us here — we might have discovered more of what the Thunderians will barter for, other than a waning economy."

"It _would_ be easy if all they wanted was money, and we had enough to give," Latika said.  "But recall that they are only impressed by large numbers — even the tiger clan may not be able to send the Thunderians what they ask if they name some ridiculous amount.  I think they will, too."

"We will pay whatever they ask," Bali said simply.  "That will not be an issue.  But I would be surprised if Lord Claudus were to ask for us to deliver gold and diamonds and nothing else.  It's more likely he will require access to the mines themselves."

"What?  Why?  Why mine themselves when they can have the tigers do it for them?"  Jahzara sounded dismayed.  Javan wouldn't be happy about an agreement that brought so many strangers so close to home.  Suppose Latika had the right impression and the Thunderians took all the mines had to offer, leaving nothing for the tigers' future?

"Because it is always wise to eliminate middle men in matters of money," Bengala said.

"And Lord Claudus will want proof the mines exist and can produce what we claim they can," Bali adds, putting a comforting hand on Jahzara's shoulder.  "Should such a request be made, Jahzara, allow me to negotiate it.  Matters of territory are delicate, as you know, and best handled with experienced hands."

"Yes, of course," Jahzara said, subdued and unhappy about the thought of the Thunderians mining in the tiger clan's mountains.

The tigers were a private people, and none of Jahzara's party liked the thought of strangers coming and going as they pleased, especially on a potentially permanent basis.

"Corbett, you're being very quiet," Bengala called lightly, addressing the First Warrior from where he stood at the door, arms still crossed and his hard gaze directed at the floor.  Corbett looked up at his name.

"Corbett is always silent," Latika teased.  "He is always thinking."

"You should try it some time, Latika," Corbett said without venom.  He continued while the other tigers chuckled, "Yes, I have been thinking.  I'm concerned about that tiger.  You all saw him.  You know what this could do to an alliance."

The room went silent as its occupants were suddenly forced to address the elephant standing in their midst.

Jahzara bit a lip briefly, and spoke softly after the silence had stretched several moments. "Are we wasting our time? My father won't be able to let the matter slide. Even if he wanted to, the village council would force the issue."

"There may be something we don't know about why the Thunderian tiger is here. It may be a completely benign situation," Bali said. "And he might very well benefit our exchange. For example, he may be able to bridge the cultural gap for us, allowing us to close in on a much better deal for the tiger clan. Be at peace, Jahzara; the battle is not over yet."

"It may as well be once Lord Javan and the council realize that tiger is here," Latika said, sighing. "Even if we failed to mention the Thunderian tiger in our reports, they would find out eventually — the tiger is clearly a high ranking official of some kind to stand at the king's left hand, perhaps a leader in their military. Somebody would become aware of him eventually, and all hell would break loose then."

"You are being a touch dramatic, I think," Bengala observed dryly, but her white shoulders are stiff. "Bali is right. The tiger may be more inclined to aid us. After all, are we not all of the same people? What tiger would not aid his own kind?"

Latika was not interested in optimism. "He dresses like them. He acts like them. He probably talks like them. If he's a traitor and thinks of himself as one of them, he won't do anything to help us. This conflict is unavoidable." He glanced at Bali. "If the council knew he was here, they would have told us."

"We don't know anything about him," Bengala countered. "Why don't we wait before we judge what he means for the alliance. One common man in exchange for Thundera's aid would be an acceptable loss."

"He is no common man," Corbett said in that calm way of his. "He has the mark of nobility; I was at just the right angle to see it. And Latika is correct in that the tiger is clearly a favored man of the king, and that makes him a threat to our negotiations."

"It isn't like you to fret," Jahzara said with a tiny, wavering smile. Corbett's wariness on the matter was a cause of concern for all of the tigers, but Jahzara, who knew Corbett best, was concerned especially.

"This alliance is too precious to lose," Corbett said. "Like it or not, we need the Thunderians. We can only hope that they realize they need us as well. But the Thunderian tiger is another matter entirely. Lord Javan cannot allow him to go on breaking our laws so flagrantly. Something will have to be done about it — and I fear it will be to the tigers' great detriment."

"Now Corbett is participating in the dramatics! I have seen everything," Bali said jovially, attempting to lighten the mood. He swept his wise eyes across the other tigers. "Let us also consider that even if the tiger is of the nobility, one noble man in exchange for the Thunderian army is a sacrifice the tiger clan can stomach, if they would stop fearing and start thinking for a moment. Alternatively, he may be perfectly amiable and willing to return home with all due haste; there would be no need for further conflict in that case. Bengala’s counsel in this matter is the wisest: we must wait and see what the future — and the Thunderian tiger — have in store for our agreement with Thundera."

"Lord Javan has staged battles over one man in the past," Latika reminded everyone unhelpfully. "He will not let Orias stop him from doing so again. He cannot afford to forsake his pride any more than he already has."

"Lord Javan has not forsaken his pride by sending us here, nor he has tarnished the pride of the tiger clan,” Bali stated firmly, ignoring Latika’s first point. “There is no shame in seeking friendship with a powerful nation. Orias will kill us all if nothing is done."

Latika let out a short, biting laugh. "We have all forsaken our pride by coming here. Every one of us," he said harshly. "Blind little cubs, too weak to defend themselves from their enemies! It makes me sick."

The other tigers all looked away. Asking for help was a bitter pill for all of them.

"If the alternative is watching my family be tortured to death at Orias’s hands, or those of his psychotic son,” Bali said coolly, "then I welcome my state of humility."

"Aye," Bengala said solemnly.

"Aye," Corbett echoed, soft. He put a hand on Jahzara's narrow shoulder.

Jahzara looked up, took a breath, and spoke. "Aye. My father is doing the right thing. We must form an agreement with Thundera; I will not let anything stand in my way, especially not another tiger."

A knock at the door startled them all into abrupt silence. Corbett waited a moment, then turned and opened the door, stone-faced.

Tygra had to tip his head back slightly to make eye contact with the older tiger.

"You!" Latika said, too surprised to stop himself.

Tygra gave Latika a quick glance but otherwise ignored him. When he spoke, it was to address Corbett. "I hope I'm not interrupting," he said with frank apologetic honestly in the common tongue. "We weren't introduced earlier and I felt I should come by and meet with you personally. I am Prince Tygra."


	3. Tygra of Thundera

Tygra found himself in a cool, thoughtful staring contest with the tallest tiger.

There was nothing acidic in the other tiger's gaze, only intense mutual interest. The rest of the tigers displayed a little more emotion, mostly surprise; and they were all wary.

A brief silence passed, and Tygra began to fear he'd interrupted something important. But then Jahzara stepped forward, palms open in welcome, and began speaking in the native tiger language.

Tygra was confused for a heartbeat, then he understood: they thought he was one of them. He felt a rush of some emotion he couldn't name, and waited until Jahzara was finished before saying, apologetically, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can only speak Thunderian…"

The other tigers reacted with more open astonishment, except for one — the hunter — who snorted and looked away, and the tallest, who remained in Tygra's path with a stoic expression.

Tygra suspected the tall specimen was rarely rattled. He had the cool, remote demeanor of an experienced warrior. He surveyed Tygra for another heartbeat, then stepped aside in silent invitation.

Tygra took a step forward but hesitated on the threshold. For the first time in his life, he was not confident in his ability to make others fall in love with him. He wanted these other tigers to like him, but feared the culture gap was too wide and too deep for his charms to cross.

"I apologize," Jahzara said after a beat, his voice still suggesting a faint trace of surprise. "Please, enter and sit with us, Prince Tygra. You must tell us all about yourself, for I greatly desire to know how a tiger came to be a prince among lions."

Tygra stepped into the room, calm only on the surface; he was almost jittery with nerves. He was surrounded by _other tigers_. He could never have imagined a meeting like this.

The other tigers remained tense — not a good sign, to Tygra's mind. It wasn't necessarily a bad sign, either, given what they had come for coupled with Tygra's rank, but it wasn't what Tygra wanted. He tried not to be off-putting and adopted an easy, loose demeanor. "Thank you," he said, "but I'm afraid there's very little I can tell you. I arrived in Thundera as a baby in a hot air balloon, with a note that had only my name written on it. The king and queen adopted me. Nobody has any idea where I came from or why I was sent away. We do know I was sent to Thundera specifically — a paper spell was found on the balloon. But that's the sum total of what I know."

"Then you are something of a mystery," the white tigress observed.

Tygra gave her what he hoped was an easy smile. "That I am."

"Oh, forgive me," Jahzara said quickly. "This is Bengala." He indicated the white tigress who had just spoken; she nodded once. Jahzara continued introducing the other tigers: the tall warrior who had answered the door was Corbett; the hunter-type was Latika; and the elder was Bali. Each tiger nodded when his name was spoken, or made some other subtle sign of acknowledgement.

"It is a great pleasure to meet all of you," Tygra said. He committed their names to memory. _Corbett. Bengala. Latika. Bali. Jahzara._ "You know, when I first arrived in Thundera, my father — the king — staged a search for the tiger clan that lasted years." He let out a small, breathy laugh. "He never found you, obviously. We'd heard rumors of a small tiger population residing somewhere to the north, but the area is nothing but desolate wasteland and nobody believed any animal could survive there, let alone an entire clan. Since then, most people have adopted the belief that the tiger clan died out centuries ago." _I can't believe it. All this time I thought I was alone, and_ _… here you are_.

"We are a secluded clan and keep to ourselves," Jahzara said, appearing to be thoroughly interested in Tygra's little factoids. "But we have certainly not died out. Conditions in the mountains are harsh, but we have thrived in spite of them. We are a small but mighty clan."

Tygra detected the fierce pride in Jahzara's voice and smiled. _Tigers are known for their pride_ , or so the books said. Perhaps it was true.

"I'm glad to find such is the case," Tygra said, and his smile was genuine this time.

He was finally rewarded when the other tigers began showing signs of relaxing. They clearly didn't trust him entirely, but that was to be expected. Perhaps once a treaty had been hammered out, they would be more inclined to be sociable. But as for this moment, when the tigers were standing on the cusp of negotiating their future with Thundera, Tygra knew better than to expect instant friendship.

"I know very little about the tiger clan," he said. "We don't have many records left from the ancient past, and more recent information is hard to come by. Would you humor me by answering a few questions?"

"If I can, certainly," Jahzara answered, but he was on his guard again.

Tygra chose his words carefully to avoid looking as if he were fishing for information to do with the treaty. "I don't know much about my heritage. Can you tell me what it means to be a tiger in the tiger clan? What is it like?"

Jahzara had evidently not expected this; surprise flickered across his young face again, and a long minute passed before he answered. "To be a tiger…" he said slowly, "to be a tiger is the greatest honor. Our people are proud to be a nation. It means everything to us." He paused again, as if struggling for words.

Tygra knew he'd asked a difficult question; he tried something a little more specific, hoping it wouldn't be misconstrued as political espionage. "What is it like to live in a tiger village?"

This time the elder, Bali, answered. "Day to day life is, of course, varied depending on the villager. What makes our culture unique — what makes it truly special out of all of the cat clans — is something that can be experienced only by a tiger. You should return with us, Prince Tygra; the answers to your questions are found there, and we would be glad to have you."

Jahzara glanced at Bali, then turned back to Tygra with the first and biggest genuine smile Tygra had seen from any of the tigers yet. It made Jahzara's face look strangely familiar. "Yes, please do," Jahzara said, almost earnestly. "Consider this an informal invitation from one prince to another. It isn't right that you should know so little about your own people; you must return home with us."

Tygra was startled; he hadn't expected an invitation to travel to the tiger village — at least, not so soon — and though it was something he had coveted since discovering other tigers existed, he still found himself a little overwhelmed at what the possibility meant. A chance to be among other tigers — the place of his birth, most likely — to may even find his biological parents… his _home_ … he struggled to speak around the lump rising in his throat. "That is very generous of you," he managed, struggling to maintain his composure. "I confess I would love nothing more. But circumstances… circumstances are such that I can neither accept nor decline your invitation until matters between your father and mine have been suitably addressed."

"Of course, that is so," Jahzara said a touch hastily, "but the invitation stands regardless of the outcome of the treaty negotiations. Even were Thundera and the tiger clan bitter rivals, this invitations would stand. A tiger belongs among tigers; it is the plainest truth. Nobody can disagree with that."

"Thank you," Tygra repeated, and struggled for words a second time. Under different circumstances, he might have pointed out that he was a Thunderian, and that any other Thunderian might say a Thunderian belongs among Thunderians — but he didn't feel that way, even though he had always been proud to be a prince of the Thunderian people. Right now, wanted… He just _wanted_. Very much.

He had spent a lifetime never quite belonging, and now that he was being offered the opportunity to be where he belonged, to experience life as if he had not been placed in a balloon and sent away — an invitation freely given out of what Tygra hoped was the beginnings of friendship — all of this had been gifted to him, yet he was in the position of having to decline it — of possibly never being able to go, all due to his rank. He didn't know how he'd live with himself now that he knew his clan was out there, now that he even had a vague idea of where his clan was located. He knew, with a sureness that gripped him to the core, that he would find himself there eventually. He _had_ to. "The full force of the lizard army couldn't keep me away," he managed at last, his smile displaying more of his emotions than he was presently capable of hiding. "I fully intend to take you up on your offer one day. Perhaps sooner rather than later, if these treaty talks progress smoothly."

"Let us all hope it is sooner," Bali said approvingly. The old tiger had a manner that reminded Tygra of Jaga.

The other tigers all made noises of agreement, with exception of the young man with the look of a hunter — Latika. He alone remained tense, regarding Tygra with open suspicion.

Tygra tried not to take it personally. The otherwise general acceptance the tigers had shown him was, in a way, touching, and he wished he had some way to show them how much he appreciated it. "I should go," he said after a moment. "I will be keeping you from your supper if I stay much longer, and I'm sure you're all tired from your travels. I know it is a difficult journey to the northern mountains on a mount; I can only imagine how arduous the journey has been on foot."

"Five weeks exactly from home to Thundera," Jahzara volunteered; Tygra noticed Latika narrowing his eyes at his sovereign. Jahzara continued blithely, "the return journey will not be difficult; after all, home is waiting at the other end. Good evening to you, Prince Tygra; I look forward to the next time we meet."

"As do I," Tygra said. He hadn't been this formal in a conversation in years, but then, a conversation hadn't mattered to him this much in years. "Enjoy your evening."

Tygra exited the room and walked with slow, measured steps back down the hallway because his legs were shaking. His first stop would be his father's study, where he would report his impressions and everything he'd learned about the visiting tigers, of course. That was only customary and to be expected with treaty talks on the horizon, especially when the Thunderians knew so little about their potential allies. But first, he wanted to take time to bask in the achingly beautiful possibilities that had been laid out before him.

 _You must come home with us_ , Jahzara had said. As if Tygra were already one of them and not a Thunderian.

 _A tiger belongs among tigers; it is the plainest truth. Nobody can disagree with that_. The Thunderians would disagree, Tygra knew, because Thunderians took pride in the racial melting pot that made up the empire. But Tygra did not disagree, although he remained proud of his Thunderian heritage. Jahzara had spoken the phrase like it was an unshakable truth, as if the tigers believed it wholeheartedly the way Tygra's adoptive mother had believed in the gods.

More than anything, Tygra wanted to discover if it was true for himself.

 

* * *

 

Far to the north, well beyond the reach of the Thunderian empire and deep into the treacherous mountain range lining the edge of the continent, another conversation entirely was taking place.

Orias leaned back in his throne with a glass of wine, expression remote. Another snow leopard knelt in front of him, one fist pressed to the ground, head bowed. When Orias spoke, his voice filled the cold chamber even though his tone was moderate. "So Javan has run to Thundera to beg for help." He chuckled, a low, dangerous sound that sent chills down the kneeling snow leopard's spine. "You are absolutely certain?"

It was always difficult to tell when the tigers were doing anything because of the invisibility factor, something Javan used and abused religiously.

"We captured a tiger, the wife of a member of the tiger council," the kneeling spy said. "She sang like a lark before an hour had passed."

Orias considered the possibility of an alliance between Thundera and the tiger clan silently. He was not surprised; Javan had been bound to try something desperate, and Orias was only mildly interested that it took the tiger chieftain so long to act. The tigers' pride getting in the way, perhaps. _Good_.

In any case, this was the road Javan had chosen to take, and Orias had to admit to himself that he was interested in seeing how it would end.  It was a rare occasion in which Orias was not fully confident in his ability to predict his enemies' movements, and he enjoyed the little puzzle this situation presented. The thought of a Thunderian-tiger alliance did not bother him unduly; he was confident in his ability to best both armies, and it wouldn't hurt to move against Thundera sooner than originally planned. It was only unfortunate that Orias had been forced to ally himself with the lizards — disgusting beasts not fit for life, much like the tigers — to cleanse the feline race at last.

He smiled, a thin-lipped expression that did not reach his eyes. The tigers' pride combined with the Thunderians' culture would ensure constant friction between their soldiers. Even if Javan did manage to secure an alliance, he would only have higher hurdles to leap in getting his tigers and the Thunderians to cooperate; it was almost laughable. "Very well. You are dismissed."

The spy backed out of the room in the greatest relief. He was replaced with the appearance of a strikingly attractive female holding a cub. She bowed to her husband before taking her place beside him, setting the child in her lap. "So," she said, "the tigers mean to defeat us with the power of friendship."

Orias chuckled in the same remote way as before. He set down his wine and reached over to lift his youngest — a daughter, Kalensa — and bring her to his lap for closer inspection. He did not generally participate in his children's lives — not when they were much too young to be of use to him — but he liked to know Kalensa was strong for her age, and occasionally inspected her for any defects. He returned the toddler to her mother. "They have already sealed their fate, Ouncea. It is only a matter of time now."

"The Thunderian army would be a dangerous enemy to have before the tigers are defeated," Ouncea said without looking at her king. "A shame the disease didn't wipe them out completely."

She was referring to an attempted biological warfare almost two decades previous, when a strange disease had swept through the snow leopard clan. Seeing how swiftly it killed, Orias promptly gave the disease to the tigers and watched in the greatest satisfaction as their numbers were decimated. Ouncea had given Orias the initial idea for spreading the disease, and she was still bitter it hadn't worked.

Orias ignored her gripe. "We will see what the tigers and Thunderians have in store for us."

He was content to wait.

 

* * *

 

 

Tygra arrived early at the chamber designated for the treaty talks, early enough that the sun hadn't finished rising.  His father and Jaga were already present, but the remaining council members were still drifting in.  Surprisingly, Lion-O was there, too; but then, Tygra recalled, Lion-O had always been an early riser.

Thundera at large had, of course, heard of the reemergence of the tiger clan out of myth and history by now, and the rumor mill had been working all night.  Tygra kept an ear to the city and knew how quickly information could travel between the cats, but even he was surprised by the speed of the news of the tigers' arrival.  For the most part, people were more curious than anything; five tigers didn't seem threatening.  A minority thought the tigers meant to join the Thunderian empire, and a smaller group still thought the tigers meant to conquer Thundera.  There were a smattering of other rumors, but nothing to be concerned about.  The general mood was positive and curious, so Tygra felt confident going into the treaty negotiations.  If the people had been against it — especially the nobility — then these talks might have been difficult indeed.

The tigers all arrived on time, escorted by a guard.  Then everybody exchanged the required pleasantries and seated themselves at the long table in the center of the room.

Claudus addressed the occupants from the head of the table.  "We are here today to determine whether or not an alliance between Thundera and the tiger clan is worth negotiating.  Is everybody clear on this point?"

"We are," Jahzara said.

"Very well.  Who will be your principal speakers?"

"Myself," said Jahzara, "and Bali."  The wizened tiger nodded his head in a makeshift bow to the king.

"And you can expect myself and my sons to speak on Thundera's behalf.  Tygra you already know," (Tygra flashed Jahzara a charming smile) "and this is my heir, Lion-O."  Lion-O was clearly openly astonished at the tigers' appearance.  Tygra had to kick him under the table to get him to stop staring open-mouthed.

"Do you have any opening comments?" Claudus asked, addressing Jahzara and ignoring his younger son, who was presently shooting a dark look at Tygra for kicking him.

"Ah— yes…  Before we begin," Jahzara said, "there is a small matter that I believe will require your attention."

Claudus sat back and linked his fingers on the table, but said nothing.  Jahzara forged ahead, his eyes turning slowly to Tygra.  "There is the matter of Prince Tygra, and how and why he has been living away from the tiger clan.  It is against our most sacred laws for any tiger to leave the tigers' territory.  No crime has been committed by the prince, of course," he added hastily, "but his parents — his biological parents will have to be brought before the council to face justice, and this legal process may come to involve Prince Tygra and… and yourself, Majesty, as his parent."

Claudus's eyes had narrowed.  "If the matter is between Tygra's parents and the tiger council, how are we to be involved?"

"Well," Jahzara began, sounding very young as he searched the table and furrowed his brow.

"If I may," Bali intervened gently; Jahzara nodded at him once.  "The first step will be to determine Prince Tygra's legal status among the tiger clan," the old tiger continued.  "Since he appears to be purebred — that is, both biological parents were tigers — it is very likely he will be awarded the same rights as any other tiger, despite having been raised a Thunderian.  If the prince is found to have the full legal rights of a tiger, then a crime has been committed against him.  It has to do with our family laws," he explained, breaking off from the subject somewhat.  "Family law is our most important justice caste; family means everything to the tigers.  Most family laws, when broken, carry the penalty of capital punishment."

"Once our people hear of a Thunderian tiger," Jahzara added, speaking to Tygra, "they will be furious.  Not at Prince Tygra, but at the situation."

"I am not sure I quite understand," Claudus said evenly.

"It's… well.  It's almost the principle of the thing," Jahzara answered, beginning to sound nervous.  "We take great pride in our heritage and instilling it in our young.  A tiger allowed to become anything other than a tiger is… unacceptable.  I mean no offense," he added quickly.  "It is nothing against Prince Tygra or Thundera, and of course none of this is the prince's fault.  But the fact remains that the prince's situation is a blow to the collective pride.  It will alarm a lot of people when they hear, and they will demand justice.  So you understand that it will have to be addressed."

"What crime, exactly, was committed?"  Lion-O asked.  Tygra kicked him under the table again.

"Well, several crimes have been committed in this case," Bali answered, politely ignoring the dark look Lion-O shot at his brother.  "Abandonment, for one.  As we've said, family is everything to the tigers; we have large families, all of us, the bigger the better.  For a family to abandon a cub is… unthinkable.  Even if a family did not want an infant — which is unheard of; the cultural and societal goal is to have as many infants as possible — there are any number of other families more than willing to take in a free cub.  I am unsure of Thunderian views on the subject; to put it in perspective, perhaps, one acceptable and lauded career for a woman is surrogate motherhood.  We do not abandon our young.

"The second crime was sending a tiger away from the clan without the knowledge or consent of the ruling body.  We have very strict laws about leaving the clan, and they all boil down to, 'don't do it.'  Leaving tiger territory is utterly forbidden except in very specific circumstances… such as an envoy to Thundera.

"But the worst crime of all is that of forcefully keeping a tiger from knowing his culture and heritage.  This crime is on par with high treason against the tiger clan.  It is a form of genocide."

Jahzara stepped in.  "There is also the question of how Prince Tygra made the journey to Thundera.  Reckless endangerment of an infant also carries the death sentence.  Who is to say the prince would not have ended up in a tree or a desert?  That an infant should be sentenced to die slowly of the elements or starvation is a shocking crime with severe penalties.  The public will be furious."

Claudus decided to share additional information with the tigers.  "There were spells written on Tygra's basket," he said, arms crossed and eyes piercing.  "Spells of protection and to induce sleep.  One is what determined Tygra's destination; he was sent to Thundera specifically."

"That is still a long, dangerous journey, even by air," Bali said.  "But that is heartening to hear; whomever sent the prince to Thundera did, it seems, think of his safety and comfort as much as could be done."

"What form is recourse likely to take?  Do I have a say in this matter?  I'd rather not prosecute anyone," Tygra said, keeping his tone even and calm.

"That is very noble of you," Jahzara said.  "I understand that in Thundera, it is up to the victim to prosecute those who have wronged them.  But in the tiger clan, the village council always prosecutes on behalf of the wronged.  You need not be present; the situation alone is likely enough to spark an investigation."

"Investigation," Tygra repeated.  "How would an investigation be carried out?  The supposed crimes were committed over twenty years ago!"

"Time has little bearing on this case," Bali explained sedately, addressing Tygra.  "And I do want to stress that, given the circumstances, the Lord Javan may be willing to let this one go, and we may be warning you for nothing.  Nevertheless, if there _is_ an investigation, your biological family will first be tracked down.  If the parents are still living, they will be arrested and brought before the council for a hearing to determine whether or not a crime was knowingly committed.  If they determine a crime was knowingly committed, they will progress to a trial, at which point yourself and Lord Claudus will be _invited_ to attend, but not required to attend.

"If the parents are not living, then extended family and neighbors will be questioned to try and determine if the crimes were knowingly committed.  If they were, you will be compensated for the harm done to you; if no crime can be proven, the case will be closed — which doesn't mean it is being dropped and forgotten, it can still be reopened at any time if new evidence is discovered.  Does all of this make sense to you?  I am not very familiar with the Thunderian justice system and do not know if you see similarities in these proceedings or if this is all foreign and odious to you," he added apologetically, "but this is what may happen as a result of your situation, and I do not wish for anything to surprise you if the council decides to prosecute."

"I understand," Tygra said, hiding his doubt with the finesse of a practiced politician.  He was still stuck on Bali's first point.  "How would it be possible to track down one cat's parents?" He asked, a touch of irony behind his voice.  "Any proceedings hinge on my parents being found in the first place.  How could you be sure they're the correct cats?"

Jahzara looked a little nonplussed.  "By your stripes, of course," he said.  "As the saying goes, a tiger can't hide his stripes.  And since all births are recorded by a genealogist — and have been for centuries — finding your biological parents will just be a matter of examining the pattern of your stripes and then looking them up."

Tygra sat back, astonished.  _Can it really be so simple?_   He couldn't believe it.  And yet, Bali and Jahzara — and all of the tigers — did not appear to be lying.  Why would they?  A million questions flooded Tygra's mind, but he bit them back.  "I see," was all he said.

The king kept a remote expression; his arms were still crossed.  "At any point in time during these proceedings," he said, "will Tygra be pressured or coerced into going to the tiger village?"

There was a brief, uneasy silence.  Bali answered.  "Normally, such legal proceedings do not require the victim's presence.  And since a genealogist can easily be sent to Thundera, there would be no need for Prince Tygra to go anywhere if he did not wish to.  If a trial occurs, yourself and Prince Tygra will be invited to attend, but not required to testify or appear."

Tygra felt a general sense of sadness tighten around his heart.  It was a bitter thought, that his biological parents would apparently consent to being accused of such crimes rather than make use of the many other options they apparently had for unwanted infants.  Even if his biological parents were still living, would they be interested in meeting him after twenty years?  They hadn't wanted him as an infant.  Why would they want him as an adult?  He pressed his lips into a thin line, fists tightening under the table.  _It doesn't matter_ , he thought resolutely.  _Claudus is my father.  They're just cats who abandoned their child_.

"To summarize," Bali said, "Lord Javan will certainly be told of Prince Tygra's situation, the general tiger populace will probably find out and react strongly, and something will likely be done about it."  He glanced back to Tygra.  "I will personally look into any families that may have lost an infant roughly twenty years prior.  Your origins will be found; we can all be certain of that."

"Thank you," Tygra said, "I appreciate it greatly."

"Then let us see what the future holds," Claudus said, putting an end to the conversation.  "Am I assured this will have no bearing on a potential treaty?"

"None whatsoever," Jahzara said with a wan smile.

"Then let us begin.  First, Prince Jahzara, I require proof that you are who you say you are."

Jahzara had, apparently, expected this.  He slipped a hand into his clothing and brought out what appeared to be a small medallion.  He stood and presented it to the king with both hands.  "This has been passed down in the tiger royal family since the founding of the clan.  The Thunderians' own Book of Omens should be able to corroborate this."

"Ah," said Claudus.  "I'm afraid the Book was lost many seasons ago."

"Oh."  Jahzara looked stuck for a moment.

Bali took over.  "Perhaps the surest way to verify Jahzara's rank would be for Your Majesty to send a trusted witness to the tiger clan to meet with Lord Javan and the village council, and observe Jahzara's status for himself.  We would be pleased to bring as many as three Thunderians back with us to the tiger village.  The only caveat would be that any witnesses must swear to keep the location of the village a secret."

Claudus tapped his fingertips together and frowned for a moment.  "Very well," he said at last, "I propose a conditional treaty based on my chosen cats' observations of the tiger village."

"We accept," Jahzara said, perhaps a little too eagerly.

Tygra watched Bali closely; he was the real diplomat here, the only politician, or so it seemed.  Jahzara was clearly not trained for such things.

"I can assure you the location of your village will be kept secret," Claudus continued.

Tygra glanced at him.  That meant Claudus's witnesses would be constrained to silence — but Claudus himself would not.

"I would also like for you to demonstrate your powers of invisibility," Claudus said.  "A simple demonstration only, to verify you can do what you claim."

"Certainly, Your Majesty," Jahzara said, and surveyed his tigers for a moment.  "Bengala," he said at last, "will demonstrate."

The white tigress stood up and pulled out her whip.  She stepped away from the table, then cracked the whip once, shattering the silence in the room; she vanished before the echoes had finished.  "What would you have me do?"  Her disembodied voice sounded as if she hadn't moved an inch.

"A complex task," Tygra said, trying not to show how excited he was.  "Perhaps… perhaps lift a chair and turn it over above your head."

Bengala complied; a chair lifted as if by magic, was hoisted up, and then spun a few times before setting down again.  A low murmur passed among the Thunderians.

"Can you write?" Tygra asked next.

"Yes, of course," Bengala said, and a pen and paper moved themselves and began spelling out the Thundercat code of honor.

"Incredible," Tygra breathed, rapt, as he watched the ink draw across the page.

Bengala began to fade into view, partially, so that she was ghostlike and transparent.  "What more shall I do for you?"

"That," Tygra said, "how are you doing that?"

When Bengala hesitated, he added, "fade in partially like that."

"Ah."  Bengala's expression cleared.  Then she slowly faded in until she was fully visible, then just as slowly faded out into complete invisibility.

"Bengala can remain so for the duration of the talks, if it pleases you," Jahzara said to Claudus.  "As an example of how long the illusion can be held."

Claudus's voice was dry.  "That won't be necessary, thank you.  I have seen enough."

Bengala faded back in until she was fully solid and visible once more, then took her seat.

"Can you teach me to do that?" Tygra asked, wondering if this could be made into part of the treaty agreement.

"Certainly," Jahzara said, "but I do not know if we will be in Thundera long enough to train you fully.  You would have better training at the tiger village proper," he pointed out with a tight smile, and then moved on.

"I am satisfied with the proof of your claims," Claudus said, sitting back in his chair.  "And I agree that a military treaty would be beneficial to Thundera.  I propose we begin treaty talks tomorrow morning."

"Wonderful.  Tomorrow morning it is," Jahzara said, his smile more genuine this time.

Claudus stood.  "Then this meeting is adjourned.  Until tomorrow, Prince Jahzara, Bali."

"Until tomorrow," Jahzara echoed.  And then it was over.


	4. Pyrrhic Victory

The next day, the pride and the tigers approached an alliance from every possible angle.  The first thing Claudus did was propose bringing the tiger clan in to the Thunderian empire.

"It would entitle you to far more protections and rights than a mere alliance."

Jahzara looked offended, but kept a moderate voice.  "My Lord, I thank you for your consideration, but doing so would remove the tigers' free agency, and that is something we would all die to protect.  Annexing the tiger clan would only cause conflict between our peoples, I am sorry to say."

"I see.  That is regrettable.  We will have to consider other means, then."

Tygra glanced sideways at his father.  The king had given that idea up remarkably easily.  Too easily.  What was he planning?

Claudus continued, "I suppose the next best tie would be a marriage.  I have two sons; does Lord Javan have any daughters?"

"He has two daughters," Jahzara said, tipping his chin down slightly.  "The eldest is already married, and the youngest is but ten years old."

"An engagement, then, between the younger daughter and one of my sons, with a marriage to take place when the girl comes of age."

Bali took over.  "That would be a long wait, I fear; too long, perhaps.  We are aware that Thunderians are considered adults at the age of seventeen.  Among the tigers, the age of majority and consent is twenty-five years.  No tiger is considered an adult until his or her twenty-fifth year has passed."

"I am content to wait until such time," Claudus said.  "A marriage is the strongest alliance two nations can form; the promise of marriage can be almost equally as powerful.  I propose Tygra as the Thunderian candidate."

"Prince Tygra would certainly be preferable," Bali agreed.  "He is a tiger, and I daresay the young Lady Sherni would prefer to be married to another tiger.  However, I understand that, although Prince Tygra is the elder brother, he will not inherit Thundera's throne.  Is that not so?"

"That is so," Claudus said simply, leaning back in his chair.  "Tygra was adopted and therefore cannot inherit the throne.  That will be Lion-O's duty."

"As you say," Bali said.  "I believe the exchange of a queen would be a far stronger tie than the exchange of a princess."

"The queen's coronet cannot be so easily given away," Claudus said.

"Certainly, Sire.  The queen will have a voice at court as well as her husband, the king's, ear; she must be chosen wisely.  Sherni is still young, but she shows great promise for her age.  She would do both her clan and Thundera proud in the place of a queen."

"But that would require a mixing of blood twixt lion and tiger," Grune pointed out.  "The Thunderian crown has always been and must always be held by a lion."

"Provided the offspring of the alliance, or the heir at least, marries a lion, the mixing of blood should not be an issue," Bali said pleasantly.  "There will be one generation of half-lion, half-tiger ruling over Thundera, and lions again thereafter.  Sight Beyond Sight will not be affected by the tiger heritage."

"Hold on," Lion-O interjected.  "Don't I get a say in this?"

Everybody ignored him.  Tygra refrained from kicking his brother under the table, but only just.

"That is true," Claudus said, and considered the proposal for a few moments.  "Such a marriage must be approved by my full council, only half of which is present here today.  I will arrange to meet with them and put the matter before the council.  I do not expect resistance; so let us move forward with the assumption that Lion-O will be engaged to Lady Sherni, and they will marry when she comes of age by tiger standards.  Will this suit your Lord?"

"It will," Bali said.

Then negotiations moved on to matters of trade.

 

* * *

 

It took two full days of negotiating before a treaty was drafted out.  When the tigers weren't wrapped up in negotiations, they trained Tygra on their invisibility tricks.  On the final day, the king signed two identical documents, and they only wanted Javan's signature to be official copies of the treaty.

"I will bring these to my father," Jahzara said as the documents were each rolled up and sealed with the king's seal.  "It is against our laws for the chieftain to leave our people.  Your Majesty's chosen subjects will serve as witnesses when Lord Javan signs, just as we have served as witness to your signature."  Then the Thunderian witnesses would return to Thundera with one of the signed documents — the copy to be kept by Thundera.  At that point, the treaty would go into effect, and discussions as to how the parties would attack their mutual foes would begin.

When the Thunderian witnesses returned, they would not be alone.  Claudus had managed to negotiate a tiger ambassador to always be present on Thunderian soil.  The tigers refused point blank to entertain a Thunderian embassy because only a tiger could reside on tiger territory, and Claudus did not consent to send Tygra away as a permanent ambassador.

It was a moot point anyway.  Tygra knew, like his father, that Thunderian guardsmen would be stationed at the tiger village at some point in the future regardless of the tigers' laws.  The war would necessitate it.

Jahzara, for his part, told himself the loss of two tigers — his sister, and the ambassador — were an acceptable loss, although he felt terrible about it… especially for little Sherni, who would be forced away from her home and married to a stranger — moreover, a stranger who wasn't a tiger — never to live among other tigers again.

And Claudus, a day and an evening after the treaty talks concluded, found himself with an offspring-induced headache.

"You can't just betroth me to anyone you please against my will!" Lion-O railed, on the attack.  He had entered Claudus's study about an hour ago and had been yelling about his betrothal ever since.

Claudus was quickly losing his patience.  "I can and I have.  It is time you took your responsibility and your duties as prince more seriously.  There will be no more talk of this; enough.  You are dismissed."

When Lion-O made another game attempt at fighting, Claudus ordered, "go!" in a tone of voice that silenced his son instantly.

Lion-O looked away, fists clenched.  Then he turned and marched stiffly out of his father's study.  He paused at the doorway, surprised to find Tygra waiting, then growled and walked away.

Tygra entered next.  His face was calm, but Claudus knew what was coming; he had just announced whom his witnesses for Javan's signature would be, two clerics of Jaga's choice.  He leaned back in his desk chair and suppressed a sigh.

"Father, why not send me as one of the witnesses, if not an ambassador?"  Tygra had never been one to beat around the bush; neither of the king's sons had that problem.  It was pleasing, in a way.

"You are my right hand in many things, Tygra, but in this, you are not the best cat for the job."

"How can you say that?  I'm a tiger! I — I'm living proof that tigers and the pride can coexist!  My presence would smooth things over considerably, it's clear they would be more comfortable negotiating with another tiger.  And I'm a skilled diplomat; haven't I been training under you for my entire life?  Haven't I been an excellent student?  Why not let me test my skills in diplomacy?  I could also solve the issue with my presence outside the tiger clan quickly while I'm there—"

"No," Claudus said calmly.  "I am less sanguine about the situation of your living abroad, as they put it, and what it means for the Thunderian royal family.  I doubt that Bali and Jahzara were being totally honest about it, so I have no choice but to treat the treaty — and your relationship with the tiger clan — carefully and suspiciously until I am satisfied the situation has been brought into the open fully and will not cause problems for Thundera.  If the tiger clan decides to lay claim to a member of the Thunderian royal family, as I almost fear they might — and this is what I suspect Jahzara and Bali fear, so it is therefore something to be cautious about — then there will be great trouble between the tigers and the pride, and you will only be caught up in the middle of it.  Therefore I am going to tread cautiously, and I expect you to do the same."

Tygra's knuckles were white at his sides, but he put his head down in a stiff bow.  "Yes, Father.  I understand."

After Tygra had left, Claudus massaged his temples and ordered some willow bark tea.  He doubted the issue was done between himself and his eldest son; Tygra had always wanted little more than to know where he came from, and Claudus knew he would not be able to keep Tygra back forever.  Not without using force.

 

* * *

 

 Two days later, the tigers, accompanied by two Thunderian clerics, left on foot for the tiger village.  The royal family saw them off at the great western gates.

"Good travels, Corbett," Tygra said in the tigers' tongue, what little of it he had learned.  He knew it probably didn't sound anything like it was meant to, but practice makes perfect.

Corbett looked down at him in that expressionless way of his.  "I know this will not be our last meeting, Prince Tygra," he said with meaning.  "Farewell."

Tygra watched the other tigers disappear into the sunrise with an intense yearning rising in his heart.  It caught in his throat and made it difficult to breathe.

"Let's go," Claudus said, and turned his mount back to the city.  The rest of his entourage followed except Tygra, who remained standing at the gates.

Lion-O approached him at a trot.  "You alright?"

"Of course I'm alright," Tygra said coolly, almost a snap.  He turned away and mounted his stallion, then followed his father back through the city to the castle.  He did not look back.


	5. A Private Matter Between Families

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note on changes to the tags, for those of you who have been following this story. I've reworked everything down the line to take out the Lion-O/Bengali and replace it with Lion-O/Wilykit. Kit has been aged up for this. Feedback I've been getting on the early draft suggests people are just more interested in the LxK than they are in the slash (gasp!), so I'm changing it (~anything for my readers~). I'm so sorry if this disappoints anyone!

Over two months passed in relative peace.  The king announced the military alliance with the tigers to the public at large two days after Jahzara's departure.  The general populace seemed to Tygra to be more interested in the fact that other tigers existed more than they were interested in the treaty.  "So you aren't the last after all!" quickly became an annoyance for Tygra to hear.  What mattered, however, was that — for the most part — the nobility did not object.  Many of them assumed Claudus was only preparing the tigers to annex them into the empire and so were granting the king the means to do so in whatever way he deemed most appropriate.  Tygra hoped it wasn't true, although he knew it was a possibility.  Conquering other nations is what Thundera did best — not making treaties with them.  Tygra suspected what was going through his father's head, and he loathed the thought:  a nation worth an alliance was a nation worth conquering.

Tygra waited ten weeks and three days — every hour its own lesson in torture — until the tigers returned.  A forward scout arrived on the afternoon of the fourth day to announce another, larger delegation of tigers on its way.  Tygra's heart leapt while Claudus prepared accordingly.

"Let me take a small delegation out to meet them and accompany them through the gates," Tygra proposed, rather with the air of a cub hanging on to his father's elbow.

Claudus turned briefly from his work and gave Tygra a small frown.  "No."

Tygra suppressed a sigh and dropped the idea.  It had been worth a shot.

The royal family met the tiger delegation at the gates the next day in the early evening.  This group of tigers was larger — twelve tigers altogether, all cloaked and hooded — and for a moment, Tygra did not recognize a single face until he briefly caught Corbett's eye.  The Thunderians were a bit nonplussed; they had expected Jahzara to be leading such an important delegation.  Instead, two elderly tigers rode at the front with Corbett to their right.  They introduced themselves as Siberia and Ezri, the chosen ambassadors to Thundera.  Claudus made introductions for himself and Tygra only (Lion-O was missing, per the norm), then they accompanied the tigers through the city to the palace.

Tygra located Corbett, dismounted, and walked beside him.  He offered a greeting, genuinely warm; he was glad to see Corbett, at least, had returned.  He had hoped to forge friendships among the tigers, short as their previous stay had been.  "Welcome back to Thundera.  I'm glad to see a familiar face, although I'm sure you don't appreciate having to make such a long journey multiple times."

Corbett afforded him a grim sideways glance.  "I am honored to be of such service to my Lord and kinsmen.

Tygra had gleaned by now that this was simply Corbett's manner of speaking, and not an intentional front of coldness.  Tygra smiled.  "I hope Prince Jahzara and the others where well when you left?"

Corbett's face softened a little.  "They were.  Jahzara especially wished to belong to this delegation, but h— his father would not allow it.  Everyone is very curious about you.  I'm afraid you've become something of a celebrity back home."

"I hope that's not a bad thing."

"As do I."

This did not sound very promising.  There was no point in continuing this line of conversation now, in any case, so Tygra changed the subject.  "Will you be staying longer this time?"

"Our plan is to remain through the winter with Ambassador Siberia, then all will depart with exception of his personal guard."

"Excellent.  Do you think you'll have a day to yourself during that time?  There was no opportunity to give your people a first-hand glimpse of the true magnificence of Thundera during your last visit, and I'd hate to let any opportunity now go to waste.  Will you allow me to show you the city?"  Tygra might not have known anything about his tiger heritage, but he did have a sort-of heritage in having been raised as a Thunderian, and he was eager to show it to a familiar tiger face.  He wanted his people to know he had _a_ heritage, one that was worth having, even if it wasn't what the tigers would have preferred for him.

Corbett's eyebrows rose briefly, then his calm mask was back in place.  "I will have to inform Siberia," he said, "but I do not think that would be an issue.  I accept your offer.  It is most kindly given."

As the blended party made their way through the more populated areas of the city, cats gathered to stare and whisper.  Tygra knew the rumor mill was going into overdrive and that he'd get an earful from his sources that evening, but for now, he was fiercely content to be seen amongst other tigers.  Walking by Corbett and talking with him quietly, Tygra knew he looked like he belonged with the tigers, rather than with the Thunderians.  He liked the thought of being seen to belong, even if it was only an illusion.  He didn't mind the rumors he knew would spring up due to his close association with the tigers, not for the moment.

After the tigers had been boarded and given time to rest and refresh themselves, the ambassadors and two of their guardsmen — including Corbett, which confirmed to Tygra that he was a ranking officer in the tiger military — dined together with the Thunderian royal family.  Afterward, the principal parties gathered together in the council chamber to witness the signing of the treaty documents.  When it was done, there was general applause; this was a historic agreement after the long conflict that had separated the tigers and lions in the first place, thousands of years ago.

"There will be a grand feast tomorrow to celebrate Thundera's newest friendship," the king said, addressing the room at large; then he looked to Siberia and Ezri, who both inclined their heads.  "You must be our guests of honor."

Siberia accepted on the tigers' behalf graciously.  A small amount of small talk followed, then the tigers and lions alike retired to their beds for the night.

Tygra found Corbett in the hallways before he could disappear with the rest of the tigers.  They made plans to meet just after sunrise and breakfast together before Tygra took the other tiger out to show him the city and surrounding area, as much as could be fit in a single day.  Corbett was agreeable to this arrangement, and they shook on it before going their separate ways.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Tygra woke to the first snowfall of the season.  He stared out his window, slightly dismayed; the clerics had predicted an early winter, but he hadn't thought it would be _this_ early.

When he met Corbett for breakfast, he asked if the older tiger would mind the snow.

Corbett gave him a small — but, Tygra suspected, very rare — smile.  "It is only a light dusting.  Where I come from, it snows almost year-round.  I do not mind the weather at all."

They spoke this way as Tygra took Corbett out into the city.  There was a brief coaching lesson on how to ride a mount, which Corbett took to with relative ease, and then they were off.

"I like this," Corbett said, referring to the trotting gelding beneath him.  "We have livestock that children will sometimes ride, but no beasts like this.  It is very enjoyable."

"I'm glad to hear it," Tygra said, smiling.  "I believe my father intends to gift Lord Javan enough mounts to begin a small herd.  It seems a hard thought that you should have to walk all that way to and from."

"It certainly seems that way now," Corbett agreed, a light behind his face.  "Can we go faster?"

Tygra guided him out of the city, then they galloped around and into the hills to the east.  They climbed the largest peak and then turned to look down on the whole of Thundera, a great jewel glittering with snow.  Then they walked back down the other side of the city while Tygra pointed out key places and points of interest from a distance.  He also shared some information about his duties as a prince of Thundera, how he was raised and what it meant to be a Thunderian, and other general subjects of interest.

In return, Tygra learned something of Corbett and the tiger clan as well.  He learned that Corbett was the tiger equivalent to a general, the only one among his people; he called himself First Warrior, and explained how he had gotten the title by defeating the previous First Warrior in a series of three duels, all of which ended in a draw.  He had been required to do so in order to have the right to marry his wife, who was of the nobility, unlike Corbett himself.

"Who was the previous First Warrior?"  Tygra asked, impressed.

"Lord Javan.  The title is usually held by the chieftain or one of his sons."

The day didn't conclude until well after nightfall.  As they trotted into the courtyard and toward the stables, Corbett issued another invitation to visit the tiger clan.  "You've been a magnificent guide.  I wish to return the favor in giving you a tour of our homeland."

Corbett's words were spoken in the same light way all of his words were offered in, but this time Tygra sensed a considerable amount of force behind the invitation.  It made him wonder if his father's suspicions of his own place among the tiger clan might be well-founded.  He swallowed around the lump that rose in his throat.  "I confess I wish for nothing more," he said as they dismounted and handed their mounts over to a stable hand.  "But the king has chosen, in his wisdom, to keep me at home, for the present."

There was a brief, companionable silence while they made their way side-by-side through the courtyard and up the steps to the palace doors.

"If your father's mind should ever change," Corbett said at last, "please consider my invitation open to you."

Tygra glanced at him from the corner of his eye.  "Thank you…"

They exchanged nothing further because they had reached the doors, and Jaga was waiting for them there.  "Tygra," he said, dipping his chin in a slight bow, "your father wishes to see you at once in his study."

_Strange._ "Thank you," Tygra told him, "I'll go there now."  He turned to Corbett.

"Until tomorrow?" Corbett offered.

Tygra's lips curled upward in a small smile.  "Yes.  Until tomorrow.  Good night."

 

* * *

 

Tygra chatted lightly about his day with Corbett to Jaga as they made their way through the darkened passageways to Claudus's personal study.  But when they reached their destination and Jaga pushed the door open to announce the prince, he fell silent.

The occupants of the study appeared relaxed, but the mood was clearly somber.  Claudus was seated calmly in his big chair by the large, ornate fireplace; he was ominously silent.  Siberia and Ezri, the tiger ambassadors, were also present, seated in the stuffed chairs across from the king.  Usually, those chair were occupied by Tygra and Lion-O — or had been when they were cubs.  Tygra found himself thinking that it had been a long time since he and his brother had sat across from their father, hanging on to his every word as he told them the stories of the Thunderian people.

The three men were taking wine together, and they had been speaking in low voices on some important matter until Tygra entered; the room fell silent as Jaga closed the door quietly, locking Tygra in the study with his father, Jaga, and the two ambassadors.

Tygra felt a foreboding claw run down his spine.  He straightened his shoulders.  "You called for me, Father?"

The two ambassadors exchanged a look that Tygra couldn't discern from where he was standing.  Claudus swept an arm wide and said, "sit."

Tygra obeyed, and took the glass of wine offered to him mechanically.  We was quite certain he wouldn't like whatever was coming next.

Claudus began with a heavy voice.  "It seems there is a problem after all."

"A minor hiccup," one of the ambassadors, Siberia, broke in soothingly, "which will doubtlessly be cleared up with only a modicum of bother."

"With the treaty?" Tygra asked, alarmed.

"Oh, no, no.  Certainly not," Siberia assured him.  "This matter has nothing to do with the treaty, which is a military alliance.  This is a… a private matter between families only."

"Between families?" Tygra repeated, shoulders remaining tense.  He began to suspect where this was headed, although he didn't quite dare to believe it.

"The problem, in its simplest form," Claudus said coolly, "is that the tiger chieftain cannot allow a tiger cub of nobility to live abroad, nor will Thundera see her eldest prince snatched away."

"Although exceptions can be made for exceptional circumstances," Siberia put forward calmly, "and as this is clearly an exceptional circumstance, I believe there is no cause for alarm at this time."

"Ah," Tygra said slowly, "I see…"  He thought fast, trying to work out a solution.  The implication was that the tigers would try to remove him from Thundera without his consent, but, Tygra knew, he was unlikely to go anywhere even _if_ he was willing — where he went and what he did was fully under his father, the king's, control, and the fact that the tigers were making this into a problem would be enough to put his father's hackles up.  It made the tigers appear dishonest, which made them too dangerous for one of the king's sons to visit their homeland directly.

Tygra sighed inwardly.  This was clearly a large problem for the tigers, both legally and culturally, and Lord Javan was just as likely to be acting because his hands were tied due to his people or council or both demanding Tygra's return.  Tygra knew equally well that Claudus would not budge, however… and the Thunderians had the edge in this conflict.

It would definitely threaten the treaty, Tygra decided, if it got big enough.  There was simply no way around that.

"Our Lord Javan has," Siberia said gently, addressing Tygra, "formally requested for Prince Tygra to return to the tiger clan, where he will be treated with all due respect as regards his station.  Furthermore, Lord Javan is willing to allow Prince Tygra to come as the Thunderian ambassador."

This was an interesting compromise, and Tygra lifted his gaze toward Siberia with some interest.  The tigers had objected strenuously to a Thunderian ambassador during the treaty talks.

"I will not allow one of my sons to be displaced from Thundera, even as a political envoy," Claudus said flatly, regarding his wine closely in the firelight.

Tygra drew one hand down his face and sat back in his seat, sighing.  "Since when," he began slowly, "have I been so important?  There's no need for Lord Javan to start a war over one tiger, one that is, furthermore, a Thunderian rather than a member of the tiger clan.  As for Thundera:  I'm not the _crown_ prince of Thundera; I'm expendable.  There's equally no need to hang on to me so tightly.  We've all just signed a peace treaty together.  Why start a fight over _me_?  It's clear the alliance is far more important to everyone than any one individual cat."  He paused, then looked at his father.  "I don't mind going to the tiger clan as the Thunderian ambassador."  It was something he'd wanted from the start, anyway.  He turned to Siberia and Ezri.  "And there is no reason why I should not be allowed to remain in Thundera.  My presence in or out of the tiger village will make no difference whatsoever."

"Every tiger, Sire, is of the utmost importance to Lord Javan," Siberia said solemnly.  "Every one of them, including yourself.  He has, in the past, staged battles for the sake of one man, and he will continue to do so for as long as he draws breath.  Your existence is his responsibility, and he cares very much for all of his tigers.  It is a point of principle, and it is a point of pride."

"Too, you are indispensable to Thundera," Jaga put forward sedately.  "Tygra, your family is here, and your people love you.  Nobody wants to see you taken away or otherwise coerced into going anywhere against your better judgment — and it is clear that Lord Javan expects for you to dwell among the tigers for the remainder of your life, one way or another."

Tygra deduced that forming a treaty with Thundera had been a blow to the collective tigers' pride, and that the chieftain would need to hold on to every scrap of pride he could get his claws on.  He would therefore, Tygra supposed, be forced to fight tooth and nail for Tygra's return.

He sighed and rubbed his face slowly, eyes closed.  "So what happens next?"

Siberia, who seemed to be the chosen spokesman for the ambassador team — Ezri had not spoken a word since Tygra's arrival — kept his voice soothing and calm.  "There is no reason the tigers and the pride — and Prince Tygra — cannot reach a suitable compromise that pleases everyone.  After all, did we not just sign a treaty, something once thought of as impossible by our ancestors, solidifying our friendship?  And Prince Tygra, though not considered a legal adult by tiger standards, will be considered capable of making certain decisions, and his wishes will no doubt be considered with due gravity by all parties involved.  And as long as Prince Tygra seeks peace between his two families as well, there is no reason why this matter cannot be settled to the satisfaction of every party involved."  He hesitated.  "It is, admittedly, an unprecedented situation, but all involved have every positive thing going for them — I am certain we can resolve this without any real conflict and fairly quickly — taking into account the time it takes to travel twixt here and the tiger territory, of course."

"Tygra is my son," Claudus said flatly.  "He has been given a Thunderian education, owes his allegiance to Thundera alone, and has duties to Thundera as one of her princes which cannot go unfulfilled."

"Certainly that is all so," Siberia agreed pleasantly.  "But surely you can understand, Sire, you can imagine as a father what the prince's biological parents must be going through to have a son so far out of their reach?"

"Do you know who my biological parents are?" Tygra asked, a little more eagerly than intended.

Siberia smiled disarmingly at him.  "We have brought with us a genealogist, who will, with your permission, of course, examine your stripes and ascertain which family you come from."

"And how does that work, exactly?"  Tygra pressed.  He had regretted not asking further into this matter when Jahzara's entourage were present, and was eager for more information on it.

"A tiger's stripes are formed by his family's blood," Siberia explained.  "There are patterns of stripes that come from a mother alone, or a father alone, or skip a certain number of generations.  Some stripes are very common, such as the mark of nobility, which you possess—" Siberia indicated two stripes on his own temples, where Tygra's fur was black in exactly the same place and pattern.  "These indicate you are from a noble family.  Other marks are unique to certain families, or certain individuals, such as birth marks.  I see you possess such a mark on your left arm just above the wrist; because it is on your left wrist, it could only have come from your mother.  These things narrow the pool of candidates down significantly.  Your stripes can be used thus to determine which family you come from without potential for error."  He glanced at the ever-silent Ezri.  "Caspia, our genealogist, knows everybody, is not that so, Ezri?"

"Quite so, quite so," Ezri agreed.  "If anybody is capable of pinpointing Prince Tygra's biological family, it is he."

"Once Prince Tygra's biological family has been located," Siberia continued, this time speaking to Claudus, "my Lord Javan has chosen to let the matter rest entirely between them and yourself.  Together, you may decide what is to be done about the prince's living abroad, and Lord Javan is willing to stand by whatever decision you come to jointly."

Tygra didn't snort, but only just.  He knew full well that no set of tigers would be able to stand against royalty, even foreign royalty — assuming they even wanted their cub back.  Javan would be forced to allow one of his tigers to remain abroad.  Tygra looked to his father, knowing he was thinking the same.  Tygra felt a faint sense of sadness slowly overcome him.  He wanted peace between Thundera and his native people, yet he himself was the cause of strife between them, simply by merit of existing.  "I am not," he sighed, "a child to be bartered over."

Claudus appeared relaxed.  He had put down his wine and was leaning back in his chair.  "No, you are not," he agreed.

There was that, at least.  Tygra knew he was something of a political commodity, of course, but it was comforting to hear his father acknowledge their relationship regardless of their places in Thundera's political system.

"Certainly you are not," Siberia said.

There followed a pause.  When Siberia broke it several beats later, it was to change the subject.  "We have also brought with us a historian to educate Prince Tygra on tiger matters, if such should please you.  Amurani is a tutor to the children of our royal family; Jahzara requested especially that he attend Prince Tygra.  Please consider him at your disposal."

Tygra didn't need to exchange a glance with the king to know that Claudus expected Tygra to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about their new ally.  It was just as well; Tygra desperately wanted to know, anyway.  "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"We have also," Siberia continued, shifting his gaze to Claudus, "brought with us an advocate of the law.  His presence is meant to educate yourself and your son on the legal proceedings as they pertain to the tiger clan.  Also among us is an oracle, one who can use magic.  She will attempt, with your permission, to look into Prince Tygra's past and perhaps help to identify his family."

"This is what we propose," Ezri took over.  "Allow Prince Tygra to meet with our historian and advocate of the law to be educated on his familial situation and the legal matters at hand as they concern him and the tiger clan; also allow our oracle to look into his past and attempt to see the stripes of his biological parents on the day of his birth.  Our genealogist will then attempt to place the prince with his biological family after examining his stripes."

"And there would be no hurry, Sire," Siberia added to Tygra.  "If you feel you need time to think over the situation first, naturally you are welcome to do so.  I am sure you do.  We will be here all through the winter."

"That is reasonable," Claudus said.  "I will allow Tygra to see whom he pleases among your company."

"What will happen once my biological family has been found?" Tygra pressed, speaking on the tail end of Claudus's words.

"They will be notified of your presence here, and then they will be granted a hearing to determine what is to be done with them for allowing you to be displaced.  After, they will be given an opportunity to make a statement of their stance on the matter, which will be delivered to Lord Claudus, and thence the matter will rest between your two families."

"While we wait for their response," Ezri said, "we invite you to meet with Amurani, who will educate you on the history, customs, and language of your native people."

"I certainly intend to take advantage of his services," Tygra said.  "But I will meet with your genealogist first — Caspia, was it? — and your oracle tomorrow."  He looked to Claudus for approval.

His father granted him a single, shallow nod.

"Splendid," Siberia said.  "In that case, I believe we have said all we can on the matter at this point."

"As have we," Claudus said graciously.  "You must be very tired.  I hope your rest is peaceful."

"We wish the same for you," Siberia said, standing and bowing.  Ezri followed his lead.  "Good night, Sire, Prince Tygra."  They left the room.

Alone with his father and Jaga, Tygra slumped in his chair and put his empty wine glass down.  "What a mess," he muttered, running both hands over his face.

Claudus gazed at him thoughtfully, but did not say anything.  After a brief pause, he stood and said, heavily, "come to me tomorrow after you have met with the tigers."

"Yes, Father."

The king left without any further commentary.

Tygra remained in his seat, staring into the fire.  When Jaga spoke into the silence, Tygra startled, having forgotten the old cleric was there.

"Are you well, Tygra?"

"Yes, yes.  I'm fine."  Tygra glanced at Jaga, then hesitated.  He had never been as close to Jaga as Lion-O, but he knew a bit of wisdom in this situation wouldn't go amiss.  "What do you think of all this?"

"I?  I think it is a very intriguing situation."

"Do you think it will end well?"

"I think it is too soon to say."  Jaga's wise eyes settled on Tygra fondly.  "Let us wait and see what the morrow brings."

Tygra heaved a sigh and stood up.  "Yes, alright.  Good night, Jaga."

He slept very little that night.  It seemed impossible that Tygra's biological parents could be found, and yet the tigers seemed to have no doubt they would.  What would happen then?  Would they try to see him, or simply hand him over to Claudus and be done with it?  Tygra didn't know.  Worse — he didn't like what either outcome afforded him.


	6. Tigers Among Lions

Tygra woke late the next morning, a combination of the long day he'd had followed by six glasses of wine while talking about his future and the conflict it was causing between his two peoples. He ate alone in his room, picking at his breakfast and turning over the events of the previous night. When no new answers presented themselves, Tygra rubbed the side of his neck and went to the court physician to treat his headache. Then he picked his way across the palace to the hallway where the tiger visitors were being housed.

He found many of their doors open, and the tigers themselves either spread about in the hallway or each other's rooms, chattering in their native language. A few were missing; Tygra surmised they were out exploring the city. Tygra's presence brought all of the other tigers to a full stop; silence descended on the hallway and every eye turned toward him.

"I'm looking for Caspia," Tygra said simply. He was directed to a room with a closed door.

Once Tygra was ensconced in Caspia's quarters, the old tiger appraised Tygra silently over a pair of thin spectacles for a moment. Then he said, "and so, Prince Tygra, we meet at last! I see Jahzara was not exaggerating when you were described as 'ghostlike.' You may disrobe."

"Excuse me?" Tygra wasn't shy of his body — and he knew full well that taking the full measure of his stripes would likely be a practice in nudity — but, like any Thunderian, he was disinclined to strip in front of a stranger. Thunderians taught their children to hide their bodies and bring them out only to bathe (in private) or perform within the confines of marriage (in private). Tygra, like many cats his age, utterly ignored society's censure of sex outside of marriage, but that didn't make him a _nudist_.

Caspia, apparently, had no such qualms. He beamed at Tygra as if he'd just asked a marvelous question. "Remove your clothing, please, all of it, and then stand here."

Tygra hesitated, then complied, shivering in the chill air of the room. Caspia sat himself at a desk which had been moved to the center of the room facing Tygra, and began to draw. "Let us begin with your front; stand facing me directly, please."

Tygra obliged, and he watched the elder sketch for a moment, feeling more than a little exposed. He spoke partially to fill the silence. "How will you compare my stripes to my family's?" Did _every_ tiger have to pose in the fur like this?

Caspia did not seem to mind chatting. He spoke jovially, as if he were having tea with Tygra rather than committing every little minute detail of his body to paper. "I have brought with me a few of the clan's genealogy tomes, in which all tigers' stripes are recorded at birth. With any luck, your family will be in one of these catalogues — I could never bring the whole library all this way, you know."

"Every tiger at birth," Tygra repeated slowly. "That must be difficult to maintain. I understand tigers like to have big families."

Caspia laughed so hard he had to stop sketching for a moment. "That is true, that is true. We do enjoy making babies, and we do so as often as we can."

Tygra let out a surprised laugh. "We don't speak like that in Thundera, you know."

"No? Perhaps that is why Thunderians do not have large families. Turn to your left and hold your arm straight against your side, please."

"How do you know every birth is recorded?"

"Midwives and physicians report the births they assist with. When a family brings in a new cub, they have one season to bring him to a genealogist to have his stripes recorded. Not doing so would invite severe penalties." Caspia paused in his sketching. "Lift your arm directly over your head, please. We all take great pride in our family trees," he continued. "Few parents actually wait a full season before recording their latest additions. It is something of a rite of passage for both parents and cub."

Tygra mulled over this fascinating new information silently, then turned his back to Caspia when the old tiger entreated him to. "And you think you'll be able to find my family by comparing my stripes to what's recorded in your genealogy tomes?"

"That is what I hope to do, yes. It shouldn't take me more than a few days to go through all that I brought. And, of course, it is possible your family tree is not included in any of the tomes I have brought with me. There are quite a lot of aristocratic tiger families, you know, and I may need to return home to go through the library. Nevertheless, I hope to narrow down what part of the territory you came from, if not locate your family outright."

Tygra said nothing; his heart rate had picked up. It couldn't possibly be so simple. And yet it was. He could never have imagined being so close to finding his biological family — and the thought brought with it all the usual apprehension and doubts.

Lunch had come and gone by the time Caspia was finished. Just as Tygra was finished dressing, a knock sounded at the door and one of the tiger soldiers poked his head in to say something respectfully in the tiger language before disappearing as quickly as he'd come.

"Amina will see you now, if you are amenable," Caspia translated without looking up from his work. "The oracle who accompanied us here. Hers is the door two down from mine on the right as you exit."

So Tygra obligingly went to see the oracle.

 

* * *

 

Amina turned out to be a strikingly beautiful white tigress in her late teens. Her garb was different from the other tigers', and put Tygra in mind of the clerics. She had that lean warrior look about her. She looked up without fear or hesitance as Tygra entered, and said, "Prince Tygra."

"Uh," Tygra said, trying not to stare. He rallied. "Can I ask what, exactly, is an oracle?"

"An oracle," said Amina, "is a highly skilled white tigress with the ability to decipher the past, clarify the present, and see into the future. You would have opened your eyes to this world for the first time likely a week after birth, and it is very likely you were given a glimpse of your mother's face at that time. I intend to look into the deepest recesses of your mind to see the pattern of her stripes, that Caspia may be aided greatly in his search for your biological family."

_So she's a cleric. Sort of_.

Amina asked him to make himself comfortable on the bed, then she drew every shade and did what she could to put out every light in the room. Then she seated herself at Tygra's side and placed a cool hand on the side of his face. "Sleep," she said.

Tygra looked up into her pale eyes, and almost immediately felt is if he were falling into them, and then into darkness.

Amina's voice was distant and held a faint echo, as surreal as his own voice when he spoke to himself mentally. "Can you hear me, Tygra?"

_Yes_ , he thought, but he couldn't speak; this did not bother him, although he knew it should. He puzzled over the conundrum for a moment, then Amina spoke to him again.

"Good. I need you to open your eyes now."

_I can't_.

"You can. You already have. Open your eyes."

Light blinded him, followed by blurry shapes and colors. He felt warm and comfortable, bound tightly and laying on something impossibly soft. He was churring, happy to exist. The scent of milk and something spicy and familiar surrounded him. He blinked, and the images slowly began to come into focus. He couldn't turn his head, but he could see what felt like a shallow line of bars out of his peripheral.

"What do you see?" Amina's voice was a reminder of something unpleasant; he scrunched up his face and made a small noise.

And suddenly, there was a shadow above him. His features were clouded and fuzzy, but Tygra surmised he was an adult tiger, bearded and built like a warrior. The adult bent and picked Tygra up, cocooning him in safe, familiar arms. He could feel the man's voice rumble in his chest when he spoke gentle words that soothed and calmed.

"What do you see?" Amina.

_A man_.

"Can you see his stripes?"

_Not really. No._

"Let's try a little later."

The man's arms disappeared, and so did the warm, comfortable room Tygra had been laying in; even the scents disappeared, and for a moment, Tygra was in distressing darkness again.

"Open your eyes."

He recognized the woman staring down at him immediately. _Mother._ Her red hair cascaded over a shoulder as she lifted him above her head, all laughter, and her familiar scent filled his world.

"Ah, too far."

Darkness fell once more.

Amina and Tygra repeated this scenario multiple times: first she would enclose him in complete darkness — no sound, no sight, no scents — and tell him to open his eyes, and each time he did, he found himself living another life while Amina asked him questions. When it became clear Tygra's memories of his tiger family were too fuzzy to be of use, Amina told him to wake, and he did. He was laying on the bed in her chamber again, completely himself.

He gasped as if coming up for air.

"Rest a moment," Amina said, taking her fingers away from his face.

Tygra had no problem obeying. He felt oddly exhausted even though he knew he'd done nothing more than lay on a bed. He came to slowly, as if waking from a deep daydream.

"It didn't work," he said at last. "I couldn't see their stripes." _But he_ had _seen_ them.

"It is not uncommon for newborn memories to be so unhelpful," Amina said, opening the curtains to a radiant sunset. "They do not commit images to memory as well as scent and touch."

Tygra sat up slowly. "There was someone else," he muttered, resting an elbow on a knee and burying his hand in his hair. "I can remember their scents. My biological parents. But there was somebody else."

"Most likely an older sibling or cousin, I think," Amina offered.

The words hit him in a way nothing had before, and Tygra struggled to draw breath. _A sibling_. Why hadn't his parents wanted him? Why had they risked their lives to send him away and keep him from his heritage? _A sibling_. Was there something wrong with him?

"I will continue to meditate on your past," Amina said, returning to Tygra's side. "It has been several hours, Your Highness. Do your family expect you for evening meals?"

"Yes," Tygra heard himself say distantly. He stood up. "Thank you."

Amina studied him silently for a moment.  "Be well, Your Highness."

Tygra sent a messenger to his father stating that he would not be attending supper, then curled up on his bed and tried not to think.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Tygra woke just as the sun was rising and decided to go out for a ride to clear his head. It was well after breakfast by the time he got back, and he bumped into Corbett in the courtyard.

"I understand you went to see Caspia and Amina yesterday," Corbett said in that faintly grave way of his. "Did it go well?"

Tygra filled Corbett in on the previous day's events while they meandered back into the palace.

Corbett took him directly to a tiger called Amurani, who turned out to be a celebrated historian and languages expert among the tigers, and insisted on promptly beginning Tygra's "real" education on his people and language. Tygra spent the day with him, then, like the previous night, went to bed without seeing his father or brother.

The tigers occupied all of his time. Tygra saw nobody else but his native people for almost a week. Then, one night, Tygra stepped into his room just as Lion-O was stepping out.

"What were you doing in my room?"

Lion-O did not seem even slightly put out. "Father wants to see you in his study."

"What were you doing _in my room?_ "

Lion-O continued blithely as if Tygra had not spoken. "How are you coping with all of this… tiger… stuff?" He made a vague gesture with one hand.

Tygra considered slapping his brother upside the head, then decided he was too tired to make the effort. "What do you mean?"

"You've spent a lifetime being told you were the last tiger. Isn't this all a bit much for you?"

"Why are _you_ so interested?"

Lion-O narrowed his eyes. "Why are _you_ always such a prick?"

"Why are _you_ always so obnoxious?"

Lion-O tipped his head back with a theatrical sigh. "Never mind. Forget I asked." He stalked off.

"Stay out of my room!" Tygra called after him.

Claudus asked the same question when Tygra reported as ordered. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Tygra said carefully. "Amurani is a great teacher. I've been learning a lot." He shared some of that information with his father, everything he thought would be pertinent for Thundera to know about her newest ally.

"And what do you intend to do about this situation with your biological family?" The king had always been a frank man.

Tygra was stuck for a moment. He hesitated, then began, slowly, "I don't know. I can't say anything for sure until we hear back from my biological parents, if they can even be found—"

Claudus swept aside all of the trivial matters by stating the obvious. "The situation will be solved when _you_ choose what to do about it. Will you remain in Thundera, or will you return to the place of your birth?"

Tygra's shoulders dropped. He knew as well as Claudus did — what everyone involved knew — that if he chose to stay in Thundera, there would not be a force on Third Earth powerful enough to remove him. Similarly, if he chose to go, Claudus was unlikely to keep him against his will — although Tygra suspected he'd have to leave in the middle of the night for that to happen. Tygra pressed his lips together and avoided his father's eyes. "I… don't know," he said quietly.

He wanted to know about himself, where he came from, why he was sent away; he wanted to meet his biological family, even if they wanted nothing to do with him; he wanted answers the questions he had been asking the silence for all of his life. But Thundera was his home. Whatever Javan seemed to think, Tygra was irrevocably a Thunderian, heart and soul; he couldn't just _leave_.

How could he speak any of this aloud? To his father, no less?

Claudus regarded him silently from his desk, then sighed and sat back.

Tygra sensed his disappointment; his heart twisted.

"I understand, Tygra," Claudus rumbled, the closest his voice would ever come to gentle. "I can appreciate the difficult position you have been placed in. None of this is your fault—" Tygra gave him an incredulous look. "—but you understand a choice will have to be made, and sooner rather than later so as to put an end to the conflict."

"I understand, Father."

Claudus looked his son over for another moment. "Very well. You are dismissed."

Tygra spent another sleepless night mulling over his father's words. The tigers had said as much the same to him multiple times, always urging him to return to the tiger village. They'd come up with some very convincing arguments.

But so had his father, and _he_ did not need to say anything out loud.


	7. Compromise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by jettmanas with my sincerest thanks. Any remaining mistakes are the author's own.

Tygra spent another week with the tigers before a meeting was arranged to go over all that had or hadn't been found with every involved party.  Hours before, Caspia shared his findings, having finished going through all of his tomes.  He gazed solemnly down at his sketches of Tygra's stripes while he spoke, an unfamiliar edge in his voice.

"Regrettably, the tome I require is not with me, but I have narrowed your heritage down to one of about a dozen tomes — all of them containing living families."

Tygra's mouth leapt into his throat.  _This is really happening._   "All of them?  You're sure?"

"Oh, yes.  Members of your biological family are certainly among living.  I will need to return to the village in order to pinpoint them, however."  He seemed to hesitate, then gave Tygra a piercing look.  "You must be eager to meet them."

Tygra was too preoccupied with Caspia's information to mull over his expression.  "I would like to," he said.  He'd thought about this enough that he knew for sure.  Whether they wanted anything to do with him or not, he had to see his biological parents, even if it was only from a distance.  _He had to_.  "If circumstances allow it."  If his father allowed it.

He walked into the meeting and immediately felt the atmosphere of the room condense around him; everybody was tense.  Even Lion-O, who --  wait, what was Lion-O doing there?

"What are you doing here?" Tygra murmured with genuine curiosity, taking a seat next to his brother.  Normally, Lion-O avoided political meetings like plague — especially the ones he was expected to attend.

"Because we're family," Lion-O retorted, and turned away with his nose in the air.

Tygra looked at him quizzically for a moment, then turned his gaze away.  He had other things to focus on right now.

The meeting was meant to be a short one, wherein the tigers summarized what they'd learned about Tygra, and then Claudus would be asked to form an opinion to be sent to the tiger clan — to Tygra's other family.

Once Caspia and Amina had finished speaking, Siberia took over.  "Considering the fact that Prince Tygra comes from a high-ranking family, it is very likely my Lord Javan will… _desire_ for the prince to be present when his biological family is confronted in court."

Claudus spoke with cool diplomacy.  "Such a thing may not be possible.  Tygra has his duties to Thundera."

"We understand that, of course," Siberia pressed, "but if you could spare him for perhaps only the length of a season, Sire, the matter would be resolved much more smoothly."

"I am aware of that.  It does not change the fact that Tygra is indispensable to the effective running of this kingdom."

Tygra broke in hastily.  "Perhaps we should end this meeting for the night.  We've all said what we came here to say.  We may benefit from time to think over the facts before pushing for any final decisions in this regard."

There followed a brief silence in which every eye turned toward Tygra, then away.

"Perhaps we could schedule another meeting," Siberia said, speaking to Claudus.  "One between just Your Majesty and myself and Ezri.  The interim would give you time to prepare a statement  to send on the prince's behalf as his legal guardian."

Claudus considered it.  "Very well," he said at last.  "One week."

The meeting adjourned after that.  Lion-O lingered after the room had emptied, as if he meant to address his family; but then he turned and left without a word.

"I don't suppose," Tygra said, speaking to a window across the room, "that I could attend the next meeting."  He knew the answer.

"The ambassadors may be more willing to open up about whatever it is that concerns them without one whom they perceive to be a cub present, Tygra."

"I'm not a cub.  I haven't been a cub in years."  _Not sure if you noticed_.

Claudus sighed.  "It would seem you are by tiger standards.  They all perceive you to be a cub.  It cannot be helped."

Tygra pressed his lips together and said nothing.

"It is nothing against you, Tygra."

He looked up.  "I know," he said, "I know.  I just — I'm disappointed."

Claudus stood and walked around the head of the table to rest a heavy hand on Tygra's shoulder.  "I know how difficult this must all be for you.  But we must tread cautiously yet."

"I know," Tygra tried a smile and stood up.  "Thank you, Father."

 

* * *

 

That night, Tygra tossed and turned for hours before he gave up on sleep.  The corridors of the palace were dark save for the torches mounted at intervals down the main hallways, throwing twisted shadows across the opposite wall.  Tygra walked in and out of those shadows on silent feet, letting the stillness of the night settle into his bones.  By the time he reached the empty Cleric's Hall, he was more than ready to sit down in a dark pew and attempt a little meditation.  But doubts and fears plagued his mind, and an hour passed before he could slip into anything like a relaxed state of mind.  The Cleric's Hall had always been a room of peace; the one place Tygra could go and feel free of life's problems.  His adoptive mother had been deeply religious, and she had often taken him here as a small cub to pray or hear stories of the gods.

He rarely prayed these days, but he could still feel close to the woman who had adopted him — who had loved him as a mother — just by standing in the Hall.  He felt at peace here; loved.  Ever since his mother's death, he had come to the Cleric's Hall as a place to think and sort out his problems — and, later, he had come with the hope of seeing Cheetara.  She was the only cat he could really open up to.  Nobody in Thundera had been able to understand Tygra in the ways she did — not his father, not his brother.  Nobody.  Part of it was a sense of kinship; the cheetah clan was small and dying, and there were only small pockets of cheetahs still alive, living mostly in the deep south.  Cheetara knew about as much about her family as Tygra had known of his.  This had drawn them together when they were cubs, and their friendship had blossomed from it.

Cheetara rarely spoke of herself.  Tygra knew she had told him more about herself than she had told anyone, and the pride and sense of honor that came with knowing that was…  It was _something_.  It had the power to leave him breathless.

But as they'd grown older and Cheetara became accustomed to life among the clerics — and her duties began to diversify — she began spending less and less time in the Cleric's Hall.  He had seen less of her as the years progressed, and he was beginning to fear that they had been far closer as children than they are now.  The thought was alarming and saddening.

A quiet voice spoke next to him, breathing gently out of the silence like a cool breeze on a hot day.  "Want to talk about it?"

Tygra's mouth formed a small grin; he opened his eyes and turned his head from where it was laying on the back of the pew.  "I was just thinking about you."

"All good things, I hope."

"Always."

Cheetara sat with him in companionable silence; a still figure close enough their thighs almost brushed.  Several moments passed before Cheetara spoke again.  "How are you doing?"

Tygra's smile became wry.  "Everyone has been asking me that."

Cheetara only watched him with those steady, patient eyes.

Tygra bit his lip briefly and lifted his head off the back of the pew to look down at his hands in his lap.  He was trying to collect his thoughts when Cheetara laid a soft hand on one of his, slipping it into the "C" of his curled fingers.

"What can I do?" he murmured at last.  "I can't choose to stay.  I can't choose to go.  I don't want anyone involved to get hurt."  He paused, then added in a lower tone, "assuming my biological family even wants to see me."  He looked up.  "What should I do?"

"That choice is yours to make," she said gently.

He gave her a look that plainly stated, _thanks for the help.  Not._

Cheetara smiled.  "Has your biological family been found yet?"

"No, not quite."

"Then nothing is set in stone yet.  The future may hold a change in your situation.  Don't make a decision in haste just because you're being pressured to do so."

"The longer I wait, the longer the conflict will drag on... and build up."

"I doubt the conflict will grow beyond a certain manageable point.  Didn't the king decide the tigers are worth an alliance?  He's not going to throw that away until he has what he wants from them, at least.  And the tiger chieftain clearly needs something from Thundera, something he can't endanger by doing anything drastic for the sake of one tiger.  They're politicians and leaders; they have their people to think of as well as you.  And that is what concerns _me._ "

"What concerns you?"

"You said you didn't want anyone to get hurt.  What about yourself?"

Tygra's lips parted, but he couldn't find any words.  He looked away.

"Worst case scenario," Cheetara offered, "nothing happens.  The tigers can't afford to be forceful, and if the king holds out long enough, they'll eventually be forced to drop the issue."

"You think that's what my father's plan is?"

"Possibly.  I do not confess to know his mind."

Tygra considered it, happy to switch to matters of politics.  It was easier.  "I guess I can't say otherwise," he said after thinking about it.  "But I doubt my father will put up with a siege for very long before going on the attack.  He never has in the past."  He paused, then sighed heavily.  "He thinks the tigers are planning something, or…  Something.  I can't disagree, Cheetara.  They've been way too invested in my situation for everything to be as simple as it is, at the core of the problem."

"It's a different culture," Cheetara reminded him.  "One which clearly values family in ways we might not necessarily understand yet.  But as for the rest," she sighed.  "I'm not a politician.  You would know better than I."

"What would _you_ do?"

"Me?"  Cheetara's head came back a little, genuine surprise knitting her brows together.  Her forehead smoothed almost immediately.  "If it were me…"  She hesitated and looked away, her eyes distant.  "If it were me, I wouldn't let anything stop me from meeting my biological family.  Not even the people I love.  I would expect them to understand my situation and desires, and I would expect them not to try to stop me."

Tygra turned this over silently for a few minutes, watching Cheetara's profile.  _She_ still didn't know who her biological family was, and may never get the chance to meet them.  Tygra's shoulders eased.  He nudged her gently.  "Hey."

She looked back at him, eyebrows quirked up just slightly.

"Thanks."

She gave him a small, special smile; one that he liked to think she reserved just for him.  Overcome with the urge to touch her, he lifted a hand slowly to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

She reached up and took his hand in hers before he could pull it back, then turned her face and pressed a gentle kiss against his palm.

He moved forward and cupped her face with his other hand, guiding her head up slowly.  His heart thundered in his ears.

She met his gaze, and there was nothing in her expression that suggested hesitation.  Nothing to suggest she didn't think of him as anything less than he thought of her.

He pressed his lips against hers slowly, giving her a chance to pull away — but she didn't.  She turned her head slightly and parted her lips, slipping her arms around his waist.  He closed his eyes, and he let the peace she brought descend on him completely.

 

* * *

  

Claudus was not interested in any drawn-out arguments when he next met with Siberia and Ezri on an overcast afternoon, snow drifting to the ground outside.  The meeting progressed smoothly, and an agreement was hammered out in less than an hour.  As expected, the tigers jumped at the very hint of a compromise.  
  
"It is good to know we were able to conclude the matter without conflict," Siberia said pleasantly.  
  
"That depends on your lord," Claudus said, uninterested in political small talk.  "Inform me as to his reply."  
  
"We will do so the moment it arrives.  Caspia and Amina will be return with your statement at once."  
  
After Siberia and Ezri had bowed out of his office, Claudus leaned back and turned the future over in his mind for a moment.  Then he sent for Tygra.  It was best he heard the final decision from his father.  
  
Tygra appeared promptly, an indication he'd been waiting nearby.  "You called for me, Father?"  
  
Claudus surveyed his eldest son silently from his desk.  He wasn't happy with having to compromise, but he knew Tygra would be pleased.  "I've just met with Siberia and Ezri."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Claudus frowned.  Tygra hadn't been this excitable since he was a cub.  As a young cub, he'd learned very quickly to keep calm and remain cool at all times.  He'd always been a wonderful student, one who excelled at everything Claudus threw at him; who moved forward no matter how hard Claudus pushed back.  It was displeasing to see him thinking and acting with his emotions so much after how far he'd progressed.  Understandable, but displeasing.  
  
Which was not to say Claudus wasn't willing to take Tygra's wishes into account — he knew what his son had coveted almost his entire life.  He knew that Tygra had questions only his biological family could answer, and though Claudus was doubtful the family in question could really be found, he understood that Tygra would need to realize that for himself if there was to be any peace.  
  
"We have decided on a conditional compromise.  If Lord Javan will consider you as a legal adult by tiger standards, and if your biological family is found, then I will allow you to go to the tiger village as the Thunderian ambassador for the space of a single season only, after which you will return.  This will give you time to be in attendance at any legal proceedings that occur as a result of your being here.  Once you have returned, we will proceed from there.”  
  
Tygra’s lips parted during the explanation.  “I— I see,” he managed after a moment, sounding breathless.  “Thank you, Father.”  There was a light behind his face.  
  
Claudus suppressed a sigh.  He hadn’t expected Tygra to be able to hide his excitement.  The king disliked having to lower his expectations for his eldest son; the sooner this tiger family business was concluded, the better.  Even so, Claudus was gratified to know his son was pleased with the decision.  "That is all.  You may go."  
  
Of course, if Tygra's family were found — his real biological family, or any group of tigers otherwise — then the challenge would begin.  If Javan chose to force the issue while Tygra was in his custody, well…  If Tygra were tricked or coerced into staying among the tigers, whether he fought Claudus on returning or begged to be rescued, Thundera would be forced to act, with force if need be.  
  
The future was uncertain, but ultimately, at this point in time, Claudus would not force his son to remain in Thundera when it was so clear he yearned to see his native homeland.  Not yet.  


* * *

  

 Javan had never had to truly act on his feet until recent months; he was a man who operated by long-term plans, outlining the future of his clan decades in advance.  The Thunderians, he knew, thought the opposite; they were a war-torn nation, always acting in the moment and never planning for the future — not to the extent Javan did.  The only way to derail one of Javan's plans was to surprise him, and that was a rare thing…  and unfortunate when it happened.  Javan had not foreseen Orias's alliance with the lizard army, and it had forced him to bring one of his longest-term plans to the fore.  He had not been prepared to contact Thundera; he had not even begun preparing _them_ for his eventual offer of an alliance, and this had forced all manner of changes and tweaks to his other plans.  Orias was beginning to master the art of taking Javan by surprise.  These were dark days indeed if he had managed to do so.

Now he was contemplating what was to be done about the Thunderian tiger.  Caspia and Amina — Javan's personal genealogist and one of his strongest oracles — had returned from Thundera earlier that afternoon.  Javan had his hopes about the situation, but he was pragmatic enough to keep them from getting in the way of the politics involved.

He had not foreseen his displaced tiger becoming a prince of Thundera.

His mate, Eira, stood at his side while Caspia and Amina presented themselves before him, each taking a respectful knee.  This was a private meeting; the council, with any luck, would not hear of it until morning.

Javan got straight to the problem at hand.  "What of Tygra?"

Next to him, he heard Eira's small intake of breath; he resisted reaching out for her.  He knew what she thought of this situation; what she longed for and dreamed of.  He did not want to see her heart broken a second time.

Caspia spoke first.  "I hesitate to say as yet, My Lord; I would like to examine yours and Lady Eira's stripes to be certain, but… I strongly suspect Prince Tygra is your lost cub."

"I do not need to double-check anything," Amina said bluntly.  She looked up, her pale eyes piercing with their surety.  "I looked into his memories and I saw your faces.  They were blurry, but I am certain.  You were the first adults Tygra saw when he first opened his eyes."

Eira's breathing had quickened.  Javan separated himself from his feelings, looking over the situation with a wholly objective eye.  "What do Tygra and King Claudus know?"

"I told them nothing of his parents," Amina said.

"Nor did I," Caspia added.  "The ambassadors know, of course, and I felt it my duty to inform the First Warrior, as they are family, but otherwise, nobody — not Tygra, not the king of Thundera — knows yet who he is."

Javan decided there would be no issue with Corbett knowing.  He was a subtle tiger, one who knew how to keep secrets.  That was fine.  What mattered here was that the Thunderians did not know, and the metaphorical ball now rested in Javan's court.  He glanced at his wife, already knowing what she would say.

Eira clasped her shaking hands together.  Her eyes were dry and resolute when she turned them steadily on Javan.

Javan looked back to Caspia and Amina.  "You may go.  Speak of this to no one."

"Yes, My Lord," they said in unison, and then the small room was empty but for Javan and Eira.

"Bring him home," Eira said into the silence between them.  "Our baby belongs with his true family, Javan."

Javan said nothing.

The next day, Javan told the village council.  After he'd explained the circumstances of Tygra's departure, the council calmed — although a few would likely cause trouble later.  Never mind; Javan had predicted and prepared for that.

Some were understandably upset, but all agreed something must be done.

"I propose this," Caspin, an outspoken man who often challenged Javan's decisions, made the first suggestion.  "We do not speak of Tygra's true origins.  If we are to avoid further conflict with Thundera, the issue must be dropped here; he is, after all, hardly a tiger by this point.  Do we truly want a Thunderian as a chieftain?  No.  Let the matter slide, Javan."

Caspin did not say, _You've made your bed,_ but Javan read it in the other tiger's expression, loud and clear.

"No," another, older, council member cut in.  "Tygra must be returned to his place as heir to the tiger clan immediately.  His blood alone demands that we reclaim him and teach him how to be a proper tiger.  I doubt he is incapable of learning.  His Thunderian upbringing can be forgotten, if his education is handled properly."

"A cub belongs with his parents," said another.  "The boy is still young, his future can still be shaped."

"By how much?" Caspin said.  "It is for our pride that we cannot allow this to become public knowledge!  Tygra cannot be a prince of two nations.  It is _unfortunate_ ," he spit the word out with a sour look, "that he should be a prince of Thundera when it is the tiger clan which lacks a male heir, but that is how… circumstances… have arranged themselves."

Javan narrowed his eyes at Caspin's profile.  Fortunately, the other tiger was wise enough not to challenge Javan outright — yet.

"It's true," another tiger said, "that Tygra is needed by his native people far more than his adoptive people.  Did they not cast him aside the moment a lion was born into his adoptive family?  They do not need him.  We do, Javan."

"He's not a tiger!"  Was a furious response.  "He's a _Thunderian_.  The pride of our clan cannot suffer the leadership of an outsider!"

Jahzara, present for this council meeting alone, spoke up.  "Tygra may not be a tiger in education, but he has pride — he is proud to be a Thunderian, and won't leave his kingdom for any but the greatest reason.  Although perhaps he might be tempted by the argument that Thundera does not need him as we do.  I must admit there is little Claudus could say to that — either he'll allow the tiger clan to take back what is rightfully theirs, or he knowingly will be doing us — and Tygra — a great evil.  And our relationship with Thundera will be strained ever after, even if Tygra's identity is kept a secret."

Jahzara did not look at Javan, nor were the words: " _bring him home_ ," spoken, but Javan read them in the set of Jahzara's shoulders.  Javan knew that Jahzara, like Eira, felt Tygra was owed a debt of unpaid love, a debt they both longed to fulfill.

Javan considered all of the arguments with due gravity, then dismissed his council.

Once alone, he rested his temples in one hand and clenched the other into a fist.  Tygra had been sent away for his protection — but now he was capable of protecting himself.  Javan had known Tygra's return would eventually become an issue; he had always intended to retrieve his son from among the Thunderians eventually, once he was an adult.  But Orias, damn him, had forced Javan's hand, and that, coupled with the incredible bad luck of Tygra's adoptive family, meant the situation would not be as simple as Javan had planned for it to be.  So what was the issue now?  …Tygra's life, of course.

Tygra was safer dwelling among the Thunderians.  Even so…  Even so, Javan hadn't seen his son since he was a baby.  He remembered with perfect, painful clarity how it had felt to hold his infant son in his arms.  He remembered exiling his son from everything he should know and love and believe.

It was hard to believe this day had finally come.  If he were honest with himself, Javan found the opportunity for taking Tygra back to be intoxicating.

And yet the situation was mired in politics.  Claudus was not likely to release his golden boy, even knowing who he truly was.  He would see the tigers as dishonest; as blackmailers, if they pushed this issue — they had already pushed too much, Javan was fully aware of _that_.  If Tygra had been anyone else, Javan would have let the matter go as delicately as his people would allow him.  But Tygra was his son.

And Javan couldn't let him go.  Not again.  He could not allow Tygra to remain the lone tiger in Thundera, not without at least _trying_ for his affection.

If the council would have allowed it, Javan might have gone to Thundera directly to handle the issue himself — father to father, and father to son — but the chieftain was legally bound to the tigers' territory except on conditional circumstances, and the entire council had to be in agreement for such a thing to happen.  They weren't likely to let him go for anything less than outright war with Thundera, and Javan had no intention of letting the matter slide that far.

Claudus's proposal of a compromise was promising, but there was an underlying threat to it that had not been missed by the ruling body of the tiger clan.  The last thing they needed was for Thundera to feel she needed to make threats — not this early into the game.  Already the situation had progressed too far, and once Tygra's identity was known, it would only get worse.

Javan ruminated and brooded and paced for most of the night, three nights in a row, and then summoned his council again.

He decided they would be diplomatic — for now.  All they needed was for Tygra to return to his birthplace; Javan was certain his son could be made to love the home and family which needed him most.  If Tygra himself chose to stay, then the matter would rest between him and his adoptive father alone — leaving the tiger clan blessedly out of it.

This meant the legal proceedings would have to be modified, and Javan supposed an impromptu, informal hearing as to why he had sent Tygra away — breaking some of the tiger clan's most sacred laws — would need to be held forthwith in order to get the entire council behind their chieftain again.  They would need to be satisfied that Javan was not forsaking his pride by refusing to forsake Tygra, and that as long as Tygra could be brought back, all would be well.

"I will convey our response to Claudus immediately," Javan said once a decision had been made.  And the meeting adjourned.

 

* * *

 

Thundera saw record-breaking amounts of snow that winter; city operations often ground to a halt.  At about midwinter, Javan's answer to Claudus's proposal arrived, and the letter was formally conveyed to the king.  It was less encouraging, although it didn't put everything off yet.  Claudus allowed Tygra to read the letter while the king briefed his council on the "Tygra problem," as they had started calling it, without Tygra's presence.

"Essentially," Claudus said, "Javan would like to meet with Tygra before deciding whether or not to emancipate him.  There is a specific protocol for emancipation which Tygra must follow if he is to be considered an adult by tiger standards, which their legal counsel, Arjan, has agreed to walk us through.  What Javan proposes is that we send Tygra to the tiger clan for a hearing to determine his eligibility for emancipation, after which Tygra will return — he asks for Tygra's presence for the space of a year."

"A year is too long," Grune said flatly.  "I do not think he should go at all.  This Javan clearly intends to keep him."

"What of Tygra's biological family?"  Panthro asked.

"They are still searching."

There followed a brief silence.

"I don't like this, either," Panthro said at last.  "I suspect Javan intends to keep Tygra until he turns twenty-five, and possibly for life."

"That is my suspicion as well," Claudus said with a shallow nod.

"Then there is nothing else we can do but forcefully annex the tiger clan into the empire," Lynx-O said simply.

"I agree," Grune said.

"A forceful annexation would mean needless bloodshed," Panthro said, "and then the tigers are not likely to willingly share the secrets of their invisibility techniques, nor will they willingly fight for Thundera, nor will they cooperate in general until a generation or two have passed.  We can't afford that."

They argued thus for the rest of the afternoon before Claudus arrived at a decision.

"I will allow Tygra to go and meet with Javan," he said, "and to go through the Emancipation Rites, if he is to be considered an adult by tiger standards.  But regardless if he is or is not emancipated in the tiger clan, he must return to Thundera after the space of one season only.  He will return, or Thundera will take him back by force.  Agreed?"

Grune snorted and looked away, but none voiced any opposition.

"Very well," Claudus stood.  "I will take the matter to Siberia.  This council is concluded."


	8. A Short Spring

The winter dragged on and the snow lasted well into when spring should have begun.  Javan's answer arrived in Thundera just as the snow was beginning to melt and give way to new life.  
  
"There will be some danger in the journey," Siberia said during the meeting Claudus had called to discuss Javan's answer.  "Prince Tygra will have to progress along snow leopard territory for a few days before he can arrive at the tiger village.  A shame his training has not yet allowed him to hold the invisibility illusion for the length of time it will require."  
  
Javan had suggested Tygra spend fifteen weeks of the summer and part of spring dwelling among the tigers, to ensure his journey would be as comfortable as possible both ways.  
  
Claudus did not object, so it was decided that Tygra would leave in a few weeks.  "Jaga will decide on the royal guard who accompany him."  
  
"Accompany him?" Siberia echoed, looking pleasantly puzzled.  
  
There followed some verbal scuffling over whether or not Tygra would go unaccompanied.  The tigers kept the location of their villages a jealous secret, but Claudus had zero intention of allowing Tygra to go without a guard.  It was eventually decided to nobody's satisfaction that Tygra would go in the company of one cleric.  
  
That sole cleric — chosen because she was the swiftest, which would be an asset in any potential fights with invisible foes — was briefed on the task of protecting Tygra by Jaga and the king alone the following night.  
  
"I swear," Cheetara said calmly, standing at attention in front of her king, "I will not allow Prince Tygra to be tricked or coerced into staying when it is time for him to go."  
  
"You will do whatever it takes," Claudus said, his voice clipped, "to ensure Tygra leaves at the close of fifteen weeks."  
  
"Yes, Sire."  
  
"If the tigers try to imprison him in any way — by his will or otherwise — then your direct orders are to get him out of there by any means necessary.  Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, Sire."  
  
"You have my permission to enact any measures you deem necessary to preserve Tygra's life and to bring him back here when it is time."  
  
"Thank you, Sire."  
  
Jaga then took Cheetara to Tygra's chambers to formally introduce her to him as the cleric chosen to guard him during his journey.  "But," he said with a small smile, "I think you two have already met."  
  
Tygra avoided Jaga's eyes while Cheetara smiled up at him.  "We have," she said.  "Thank you, Jaga."  
  
The moment they were alone, she was in Tygra's arms.  
  


* * *

  
That same night, Lion-O hid his face beneath a ragged cloak and slipped into the darkness.  Hidden by a rising mist and a constant drizzle, he streaked on silent feet through the city, alternating between running and walking.  When he reached his destination almost an hour later, he was soaked through to the bone.  
  
The slums of Thundera were a forgotten mishmash of cobbled-together buildings connected by narrow sky bridges spanning hundreds of feet above the ground.  This was the dwelling place of dogs as well as cats, and also the most dangerous part of town; gangs roamed freely, and black market dealers went unchecked by the city guard, who habitually ignored the slums and whatever went on there.  Lion-O threaded his way through the hodgepodge of buildings and skirted the occasional shady figure, eventually locating a small abandoned building leaning precariously against the great northern wall.  He slipped in through a hidden side door.  
  
Once inside, he closed the door silently behind him and then paused, gauging his surroundings.  The room he'd entered was drafty and silent but for the incessant drizzle on the roof and windows.  They must have gone to sleep already.  That was fine.  
  
He crept silently through the room and up a tight, spiraling staircase, being careful to skip the stair boards that creaked.  A short hallway took him to a small, curtained-off area; he hesitated, then slowly drew the curtain aside and stepped through.  
  
Curled up and tangled in a pile of threadbare blankets on the floor was an alley cat two years Lion-O's junior.  Her ears were pinned back in a faux ponytail and the tip of her white tail rose and sank with her chest.  Her expression wasn't that of a relaxed sleeper, which is what Lion-O had expected to find; instead, her brows were drawn together, and her parted lips formed a slight frown.  
  
Lion-O carefully took off his cloak and placed it on the floor, then squeezed the excess rainwater out of his mane before approaching the sleeping cat.  He knelt beside her sleeping form for a moment, then sighed and crossed his legs.  He reached out and pressed cold fingers against her neck.  "Kit," he breathed, trying to avoid waking the other occupant of the rickety home, "Kitty.  Hey.  Wake up."  
  
Kit stirred and opened her eyes, flinching away from his fingers.  She startled when she saw him and sat up quickly, then, realizing who her visitor was, she flopped back, exhaling heavily.  "Lion-O," she whispered, "what are you doing here?  You scared me."  She sat up and embraced him.  "You're freezing.  You didn't run here in the rain, did you?"  
  
"Sorry," he murmured.  "I had to see you."  
  
Kit's eyes were bright in the darkness.  She shifted so she was standing on her knees and could wrap her arms properly around Lion-O's neck.  "I'm glad you came," she breathed, pressing their foreheads together.  
  
Lion-O's grin was dazzling.  He gripped her waist with both hands and pulled her firmly against his body.  They stayed like that for a minute, just listening to one another's breathing and the temperamental storm outside.  
  
"So what bring you to my neck of the woods so late on such a stormy night?"  
  
"My engagement…"  
  
Kit flinched.  She pulled back and looked at him, biting a lip.  "What about it?"  
  
"I think Tygra might be able to put an end to it.  If he goes to the tiger clan."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"I'm sure he could.  If he wanted."  
  
"But would he?"  
  
Lion-O pressed his lips into a thin line.  "I don't know.  Probably not.  But it's worth a shot."  
  
"How are you going to convince him?"  
  
"Well.  I thought, maybe…  If I told him about us, he might understand—"  
  
"What?  No!  Lion-O, he's not going to help us!  You know that, you've always known that!  You said he was the king's lap dog and would do whatever it took to make you miserable."  
  
"Yes, well…  I may have been exaggerating.  I hope.  Kit, he's our only chance.  I just wanted to… to warn you, though, just in case…"  
  
"Don't do it.  Please."  
  
Lion-O pulled back, frustrated.  "What else can we do?  I've been tearing myself apart trying to figure this thing out, and—"  
  
"There is nothing we can do, Lion-O."  Kit lowered her eyes.  "We had a good run.  We've still got a few years before you're married.  But it'll be over then."  
  
"No."  
  
"Why are you doing this?  Dragging this out, making it harder than it has to be?"  
  
Lion-O stood and began pacing, his voice rising.  "You want to just give up, then?"  
  
"No!  Of course not— I just know when I've been beaten…"  
  
"I can't accept that."  
  
"I know.  I know you can't."  Kit stood and embraced Lion-O from behind, bringing him to a standstill.  "But it's over."  Her voice was muffled in his shirt.  "They won.  We knew they would."  
  
Lion-O's head dropped.  Then he turned around and wrapped his arms around her fiercely.  "No," he said.  "I'm not going to stop fighting.  You'd better not, either."  
  
"Lion-O—"  
  
"Promise me.  Promise you won't let us go."  
  
"We don't have a choice—"  
  
"Kit, please…"  
  
Kit pushed herself away and stared up at him, fighting tears.  "You always do this," she whispered, choking back a small sob.  "Why can't you just let things go?"  
  
"I can't let you go."  He brought her close again, this time in a gentler embrace.  "Promise you won't give up on us because of some engagement."  
  
Kit rested her cheek against his chest, ear pressed to his heartbeat.  Her voice came out as a broken whisper.  "What do you want me to do?"  
  
Lion-O kissed the top of her head.  "Stay here for now.  I'll come get you when I'm ready."  
  
"What are you going to do?"  
  
"You'll see," he breathed, running his fingers through her hair.  "Just stay put until I come for you, alright?"  
  
Kit hesitated.  "…Alright."  
  
"Promise."  
  
"I promise."  
  


* * *

  
Tygra spent the rest of the winter helping to train the other tigers on how to ride mounts — the king intended to send them home each on a breeding mount so the tiger clan could begin their own herd — and learning about his people and their language.  He also practiced holding the invisibility illusion for longer periods of time, and spent increasing amounts of time with Corbett.  He saw very little of his family, but was too caught up in the novelty of being with his native people to notice.  
  
As the spring was drawing to an end, the tigers and Cheetara prepared to leave Thundera.  Remaining behind were only Siberia and two tiger warriors to double as his staff and guard.  The king, Lion-O, and a crowd of Thunderians accompanied them through the city, then everybody stopped at the gates.  "Safe travels," Claudus said, speaking to his son as much as Ezri and the tigers.  
  
"Farewell, Father," Tygra said softly.  He looked at Lion-O, but his younger brother just turned his face away.  There was no time to ask what his problem was, so Tygra just said, "goodbye, Lion-O," and then gathered outside the gates with the tigers.  
  
Cheetara trotted up next to him.  "Are you ready?" she asked, voice low.  
  
"Yes," he murmured.  "Never been more ready for anything in my life."  
  
"Farewell to you, Lord Claudus," Ezri said, speaking for the whole party.  "May your days be peaceful."  
  
"And yours," Claudus said formally.  
  
And then they were off.  Tygra glanced back at Thundera once, then turned his back and followed the other tigers, Cheetara firmly at his side.  This is it.  It was finally happening.  He was going to the tiger clan.


End file.
